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It’s fall in Chicago and that means it’s time to start figuring out what to do with all the apples.  One of my favorite things is a delicious apple crostada.  It’s basically an individual apple pie with a pastry crust instead of a traditional pie crust.  Served warm with some homemade caramel sauce and vanilla bean ice cream and you’ve got a little spot of cozy heaven.

APPLE CROSTADAS

sweet dough (yield 2 1/2 lbs of dough):

  • 1 lb (454 g) Butter, cold
  • 1 lb 2 oz (511 g) AP Flour
  • 4 oz (115 g) Sugar, granulated
  • 1 3/4 t (12 g) Salt, iodized
  • 3 oz (92 g) Water, ice cold
  1. cut butter into 1” cubes
  2. place 1/2 of the flour, sugar and salt in food processor and pulse to mix
  3. add 1/2 the butter and pulse 10 times, until blended and the butter is pea sized (the flour and butter should not be completely mixed)
  4. repeat steps 2 & 3 with the remaining ingredients
  5. transfer to a mixer with a paddle, pour in water (strain out the ice cubes), while mixing on low (speed 1) just until incorporated for approximately 20 0 30 seconds; do not let it become a solid mass
  6. roll dough into logs; wrap in plastic; chill overnight

Apple Filling (yield 1 lb 8 oz filling; enough to fill 2 1/2 lbs dough):

  • 1 lb 4 oz Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
  • 1 C Raisins, optional
  • 2 1/2 oz Sugar, granulated
  • 2 oz Butter, whole
  • 2 T Cinnamon, ground
  • 1/4 t Nutmeg, ground
  • 1 T Cornstarch
  • 1 T Water
  1. in saute pan, melt butter, stir in sugar and cook until light brown
  2. add apples and raisins (if using), increase heat, and cook until apples are slightly soft (approximately 5 - 7 minutes)
  3. add spices, mix well and cook for an additional 5 minutes
  4. mix cornstarch with water in a small mixing bowl and add to apple mixture and continue cooking for another 2 - 3 minutes, or until thickened, (don’t overcook)
  5. remove from heat, spread evenly over parchment lined sheet pans and allow to cool
Notes:
6 small apples yields approximately 1 lb 4 oz of peeled and cored apples
1 lb 4 oz peeled, sliced and cored apples = approximately 5 cups (volume)

Putting it all together (this will yield 24 crostadas):

Assembly instructions:
  1. roll 1 portion of dough into 3 1/2” round disk (a portion of dough is 2 oz; or just divide the logs into 24 equal pieces)
  2. using 1/4 cup measuring cup, fill dough circle with 1 portion of filling (mounded)
  3. form an open beggar’s purse using 8 folds and creating a 1” opening
  4. transfer to a parchment lined sheet pan; cover with plastic; and freeze (the crostadas hold their shape better when baked from solidly frozen)
Baking instructions:
  1. brush the entire crust of the crostada with warmed heavy cream; then coat the crust with either granulated sugar or crystallized sugar (just sugar the crust, not the opening)
  2. bake in a 375 F oven for 50 minutes
-The Baker