Easier Than Apple Pie {Apple Butter Cobbler}

Almost every year for my birthday, my family takes a trip out to a local apple orchard, Oak Glen. My birthday falls right near the end of October, which makes it prime apple-picking season. The apples are at their sweetest, crispest, juiciest point. Nothing can compare to the sensation of chomping into a right-off-the-branch Granny Smith. Or the warmth that fills you while sipping a mug of freshly squeezed apple cider.

It’s getting more and more difficult to bring the whole family together nowadays. The “kids” table is getting increasingly smaller as everyone grows up and out. Soon there will just be a dwindling few. But apples will always bring back memories for me. I associate this humble fruit with good times, laughter, and togetherness. And I hope to carry on this tradition long into the future.

If you do decide to experience the wonders of apple picking for yourself this season, you may have a few left over apples. If you are feeling extra ambitious, make them into apple butter and use it for this recipe. If you’re more the cautious type, pick up a jar of natural apple butter on your next grocery trip.

The original idea was to assemble a sturdy apple pie bar but I am glad that it didn’t work out because otherwise, I would not have ever known how splendid a cobbler this would turn out. Hands-down the most delicious Autumn recipe I have made to date and I think it will be defending its title for quite a while. Make this for a crowd and they will be fighting over the seconds. The soft, gooey apple butter is sandwiched between a layer of buttery shortbread crust and a crumbly topping. The sugary, rich caramel is superb and the crust was flaky and tender; reminiscent of a slice of apple pie. By adding the crumbly crust to the top, it took the dessert to a whole new level. Served warm, this is complete autumn bliss. If you add a small scoop of vanilla ice cream before the drizzle of homemade caramel, you might just find yourself too happy for words. Pair a small bowl of this cobbler with a cup of something warm, a blanket, and some good company, and enjoy yourself as the days get ever cooler.

Have a great day!

Apple Butter Cobbler

Ingredients

Caramel

1/2 stick of butter (1/4 cup)-room temperature
1 Tablespoon honey or corn syrup
1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Apple Filling

1 cup apple butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg

Crust

2 sticks butter – room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour

Caramel

In a stainless steel saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together butter, sugar, and honey/corn syrup until it looks like molten lava. Now add all the milk at once. Raise heat to medium, and boil, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes; be careful not to let it burn. Remove from heat, let cool for 5 minutes. Stir in the salt and vanilla, transfer to a glass bowl and set into the freezer until needed.

Apple Filling

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Crust

Prepare a 8×11.5 inch pan by lining with foil and spraying with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer until fluffy and creamy. At low speed, add just 2 cups of flour to the butter. Press 3/4 of the flour mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour to the remaining dough and work with your fingers to make small crumbles. Set aside.

To assemble, pour the apple butter over the bottom crust. Drizzle about 2/3 of the caramel over and throughout. Sprinkle with the crumb topping. Bake at 375° for 30-35 minutes. Cool in the pan and scoop out individual portions. Make it even more enjoyable with ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce, if you would like.

Snowflakes are to Winter as Apples are to Fall {Apple Butter Loaf Cake}

Okay, it is finally September so you know what that means! It’s officially time for fall recipes! For those of you still clinging to the idea of summer: let it go. It will be okay. I promise. I’m in full-blown Fall Mode from this moment ’til December 1st.

Many of you don’t know that I am one of those people who gets super excited about the teensiest little things. Things like the leaves changing colors or Trick-or-Treating. I love the traditions of the season. I love going all out and doing it right. You should see me falalalala-ing around Christmastime. On Christmas Eve, I am just as (if not more) excited than any little kid who’s freaking out because “Santa’s coming tonight!” The only difference is that I know what’s really going on there. Yeah, “Santa”, I’m talking to you. Oh well, presents are presents, right?

Anyways, I realize that the technical first day of Autumn isn’t until September 22 but I have my own ideas about when the seasons should start and end so the astronomers can just deal with it! And for me, September is fall, not summer. So I will be busting out the fall flavors. We’re talking apples, pumpkins, nuts, cranberries, honey, spices, cornbread, maple, pears, cider, and caramel. Oh, you have got so much to look forward to!

To kick of the football/sweater/apple-picking time of the year I’ve got some delicious Apple Butter Bread that comes complete with Crumble Topping and a Caramel Drizzle.

First of all, who doesn’t love crumble topping? It would definitely be up there on my Top 100 List of the Best Things EVER, you know, if I had one. This loaf is a cross between bread and cake- moist like a cake, but flavorful and only slightly sweet. It is perfect for breakfast with a swipe of butter, some jam, or a little more apple butter on top. It also works for dessert with the caramel and perhaps a scoop of cool vanilla ice cream. The crumble adds a crunchy touch of sweetness and the caramel sauce “was to die for”. The apple butter flavor is subtle and adds undertones of warm spice and cider. If you would like to, you could add 1/2 cup chopped nuts or raisins to add another aspect.

Leave a comment letting me know which fall flavors you would like to see on PPC!

Caramel Apple Butter Loaf Cake

Yield: 1 loaf Bake Time: 45 min

Ingredients:

Crumb Topping

1/2 c packed brown sugar
1/3 c flour
¼ c rolled oats
1 tsp cinnamon
3 Tb butter, melted

Loaf

1 c apple butter
2 eggs
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 c lightly packed brown sugar
2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tb cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 c chopped nuts or raisins (optional)

Caramel Sauce

1 c sugar
1 Tb corn syrup or honey
1/4 c water
3/4 c heavy cream, warm
2 Tb unsalted butter, softened
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Crumble

In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and oats. Pour in the melted butter and stir until the flour mixture is evenly moistened. Set aside.

Loaf

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease loaf pan (mine was 9×5.5×2.5) very well. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the apple butter, eggs, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined. If using the nuts or raisins, stir them in with a wooden spoon. Pour into prepared pan, sprinkle crumbles over the top and bake 45-50 minutes until the top is crisp and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes.

While the bread is baking and cooling, make the Caramel Sauce.

Caramel

In a 3 quart saucepan, off the heat, mix sugar, water, and corn syrup or honey with a wooden spoon.

Cook on medium or low heat stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture begins to bubble. Let it cook without stirring until the caramel is amber colored. Be careful, the sauce can go from amber to burnt in a flash so keep your eye on the pan.

Once the sauce is amber colored, remove it from the heat and carefully pour in the heavy cream. IT WILL BUBBLE AND HISS VIOLENTLY. Do not burn yourself! Stir in the butter and salt. Keep stirring as the mixture cools and comes together. Once it has cooled for about 5 minutes, pour into an airtight container and gently stir in the vanilla extract. Drizzle the caramel onto the individual slices just before serving.

If you have trouble removing the loaf from the pan, I recommend cutting along the edges before turning it softly, upsidedown into a cloth or towel, then turning it onto a serving dish.

Have a great day!