Daring Baker's May Challenge - Apple Strudel

This was my first month taking part in a Daring Bakers challenge. The May 2009 Daring Bakers’ Challenge is brought to us by Linda of make life sweeter! and Courtney of Coco Cooks .

I'd never cooked strudel before, so for my first attempt I stuck pretty much the recipe. I stuck to the recipe pretty much, though left out the rum, used 2 tsp cinnamon instead of the teeny amount suggested, and substituted slivered almonds for the walnuts.
I followed advice from other Baking challengers and used plenty of flour when rolling out the dough were really helpful. I think I managed to get the dough to about 2 foot square.
I was very pleased with my effort - as were all the family.

The best apple pie!

I've neglected the blog this week - I've been baking and cooking as much as ever, but haven't had chance to write about it due to loads going on at work, and my mother in law has been really ill. Happily she's now doing very well, so I'm in a better frame of mind to blog.

We duplicated apple purchases at the weekend, so what better excuse than to make apple pie. Not just any old apple pie either, but this lovely Delia concoction. It's quite an odd sound combination - apple pie with a cheddar crust. But once you get over the sweet/savoury confusion, it really works. It's best served with warm custard poured over the top.

I use probably about two thirds of the quantity of apples that Delia suggests, as I like a thicker crust. Also, I prefer to use desert apples as I like the chunkier result to the apple filling rather than the saucey result of using a cooking apple. I used some delicious NZ Gala apples - and no-one noticed that I forgot to add sugar to the filling!

Apologies for no photos for recent posts. Photo uploader is on the blink.

All day fast food

I made this easy peasy slow cooker recipe today. It took about 5 minutes to prepare, and was deeeeelish!

Apple Mustard Chicken
8 chicken drumsticks
1 packet soup mix (I used mushroom)
2 large apples, cored and grated
1 tbsp grainy mustard
1 cup water

Place all ingredients into crock pot, and stir. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve with rice. Enjoy.

Nutty as a fruit cake?

I found this recipe in a back issue of a Julie le Clerc magazine, and thought it would be an ideal morning tea or after school snack for the kids. It's cake afterall - so should satisfy the kids, and is full of fruit and uses oil not butter, so healthy enough to satisfy Mum!
The recipe in the magazine called for walnut - but I didn't have any. So I made a substitution of chopped apricots. Not entirely similar, but I much prefer apricots anyway, so no matter! It's also very easy to measure out, as no weighing required.

Caramel apple cake
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 unpeeled apples, cored and cut into 1cm cubes
1/2 cup chopped apricots
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 170C.
Beat together sugar, oil and eggs. Add flour, spices, salt and soda. Then add the chopped apple and dried fruit.
Spoon batter into a 23cm spring form round tin. Bake for 1 and 3/4 hours, or until skewer comes out clean.
Cool on a cake wrack. Ice with cream cheese icing and drizzle with caramel sauce when cake is completely cold.

Cream cheese icing
250g cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
30g melted butter

Place all ingredients in a bowl and beat until fluffy.

Caramel sauce
50g butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cream

Melt butter in pan over moderate heat. Add sugar, and cream, and bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Turn down heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes until mixture is syrupy. Remove to cool.