Okay, so I've been AWOL for a bit. I do that every now and then. It allows me to feel wickedly irresponsible if I can mount a minor rebellion against order once in awhile. Some fun and interesting things have happened and I'm sure I'll manage to inflict all the bits and pieces on you in due time. For tonight, however, I bring a gift to reward your patience. That's one way of putting it. Another way to put it is admit to bribery and corruption to avoid scolding. Whatever works, you see.The gift? The most amazingly luscious dessert, that's what. What you see up there in the photo is known as Norwegian Apple Pie. Y'all may already know about it. I didn't, until I stumbled across it the other day in some Google valley or another and said to myself, "Hey, this might be interesting."
And it is. Interesting, I mean. For one thing, although many recipes lend themselves to endless variations, the Norwegian Apple Pie recipe is almost always the same, no matter which link you click. The main difference I was able to find is that some recipes called for an egg while others required 2 egg whites. Should you choose to do the latter version, you beat the egg whites stiff and then add the other ingredients.
I'm not sure why it's called a pie. It's really fruit wrapped in batter for a tender, moist cake but it's supposed to be baked in an 8-inch pie pan so maybe it's just undergoing an identity crisis. I don't have an 8-inch pie pan so I used my trusty Corning Ware bowls which measure 5 1/2 inches and, as you can see, that works just fine. As it bakes, it forms a thin, tender-crispy top crust of a light tan color. Underneath, the cake part is a rich gold, bursting with fruit and, should you want them, nuts. Here's how it goes:
1 egg
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup nuts, chopped (walnuts or pecans)
1 cup diced apples
Beat first four ingredients together until well blended. Beat in flour. Fold in diced apples (one Granny Smith worked out just right.) and nuts. (I didn't have any nuts so added 1/2 cup dried cranberries.) Spread batter in buttered 8-inch pie pan and bake at 350 degrees fairyheight for 30 minutes. Can be served hot or cold, topped with ice cream or whipped cream or whatever -- or nothing at all. Reheats easily by nuking for a minute in the microwave.
I've gotta tell you -- this is really wonderfully tasty for such a simple and easy recipe. Yes, I know -- that's an awful lot of sugar. I expect that bit could be toned down with your preferred sugar substitute but I don't know what that would do for the texture or that rather special top crust. It might be worth experimenting to see if 1/2 cup of sugar would work as well. I was thinking the next one I bake, I'm going to use lemon extract instead of vanilla so I'll try it with less sugar at the same time and let you know how it goes.
No, no, don't thank me. I'm willing to brave the hordes of raging calories in our continuing search for satisfying sinful food without guilt. Somebody's gotta do it.
P.S. Thanks, Becky, for catching what I missed in the recipe. You were correct: it's "cup." As in "1/2 CUP nuts." Have another cuppa. You earned it.
I've gotta tell you -- this is really wonderfully tasty for such a simple and easy recipe. Yes, I know -- that's an awful lot of sugar. I expect that bit could be toned down with your preferred sugar substitute but I don't know what that would do for the texture or that rather special top crust. It might be worth experimenting to see if 1/2 cup of sugar would work as well. I was thinking the next one I bake, I'm going to use lemon extract instead of vanilla so I'll try it with less sugar at the same time and let you know how it goes.
No, no, don't thank me. I'm willing to brave the hordes of raging calories in our continuing search for satisfying sinful food without guilt. Somebody's gotta do it.
P.S. Thanks, Becky, for catching what I missed in the recipe. You were correct: it's "cup." As in "1/2 CUP nuts." Have another cuppa. You earned it.
