As American as .....Apple Pie!

Hi everybody!  Sorry this is a day late….Addy and I had a wee bit o’ the stomach flu on Tuesday night and thinking about food has been a struggle since then.  Of course, I chiefed it out and still cooked an amazing “Lazy Girl’s Apple Pie” last night so I could share it with you all.  I am a giver;)

Today’s post will be a quick one.  I know everyone is anxious to get their holiday weekend started….places to go, people to see, beers to drink….I will let you get to it.

This is a recipe that I have been meaning to try for a while.  I love apple pie, but the thought of peeling apples, rolling out a crust, etc. doesn’t appeal to me.  At all.  I wanted something that has all the flavors of apple pie, without the work.  That is pretty much how I feel about most things in life.  I want it all….without the work. 

This apple pie will be baked in individual dishes, using puff pastry as crust.  I am also using Gourmet Rooster Whiskey Apple Spread which means I don’t have to mess around with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.  All the spices are in the fruit spread.

I used about 7 Golden Delicious apples.  One of my apples was probably the largest apple I have ever seen, so you might want to use 8.  I chopped the apples into bite sized pieces.   I didn’t peel them.  I also tossed the chopped apples in a couple tablespoons of lemon juice, just to keep them from browning.

I also used Gourmet Rooster Whiskey Apple Spread, apple juice, sugar, butter, puff pastry and an egg.  Yes, I know egg beaters is what is pictured.  That is what I had.  Same thing.  I am only using it for an egg wash anyway.

To thicken the filling, I will be using corn starch and more apple juice.

I started by putting the apples in a large pot with a couple of tablespoons of butter.  I cooked them in the butter, over medium high heat, for a few minutes to coat the apples in butter.  Then, I added apple juice.

I also added an entire jar of Whiskey Apple Fruit Spread.  I mixed it all together and cooked it for about 10 minutes with the lid on.  Then, I uncovered it and added the cornstarch/apple juice mixture and cooked the filling an additional 3 or 4 minutes.  The filling will thicken pretty quickly.

While the filling cooked, I laid out the puff pastry on a floured board.  I cut circles out of the puff pastry with a bowl slightly larger than the bowl I will be cooking the pie in.  I just used a knife….nothing fancy.

I also poked a hole in the middle of each circle with a small cookie cutter.  Actually, Paisley did.  That is her pudgy little hand;)

I filled each bowl (oven proof!) with filling and covered it with a circle of puff pastry.  I pressed the dough against the side of the bowl to seal it.  My bowls are very deep.  This made 4 pies for me, but if you use normal sized bowls, and not ones better suited for giants, this will make 6 pies.

I brushed the top of each pie with egg wash (a beaten egg or egg beaters).  I also sprinkled the tops with sugar.  These baked at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Ummmmmm……ah-may-zing.  These were so good and half the work of a real apple pie.  I think this would be a great dessert to serve on the 4^th of July!  Apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is the perfect summer dessert.  Or fall dessert.  Or winter dessert.  You get the ideal;)

The filling stays nice and thick.  You get just enough crust and just enough filling with this recipe.  This is the perfect pie….that really isn’t a pie at all;)

I hope you all have a great weekend!  We are having company this weekend, so my blog might be a little late again on Tuesday.  I know!  I am a deadbeat…..

Happy 4^th of July!

Lazy Girl's Apple Pie
7 or 8 Golden Delicious Apples, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 package pre-made puff pastry sheets, defrosted
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons corn starch
9 ounces Gourmet Rooster Whiskey Apple Spread
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons sugar

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix chopped apples with lemon juice to prevent browning.
In a large pot, melt butter over medium high heat.  Add apples and mix well.  Saute apples for about 3 minutes.  Add 1/4 cup apple juice and Whiskey Apple Spread and mix well.  Cook, covered for about 10 minutes, over medium heat.
Mix cornstarch with remaining apple juice.  Stir into apple mixture and continue cooking, uncovered, for about 3 more minutes.  Mixture will start to thicken.
While apples cook, lay puff pastry sheets out on floured surface.  Cut circles slightly larger then the bowl you plan on using.  Using a cookie cutter, cut a small vent in the center of each circle.
Ladle hot apple mixture into oven proof bowls.  Cover each bowl with one puff pastry circle, pressing dough against side of bowl to seal. 
Brush each "pie" with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, or until tops are browned.