Most family traditions go back a few generations, but it’s always possible to start a new one. That’s what I seem to have done. After working in England for two years, I returned to the States in the fall of 1981. Tucked in my notebook was an old formula for a fruit crumble, which I had often Americanized with cranberries.
That recipe was among the first of what gradually grew into an entire cookbook of old-fashioned desserts, most of them collected from friends and their families. Curiously, almost every time I mentioned the words “old-fashioned desserts,” people responded with a variation of “Oh, my grandmother used to bake something with cut-up apples . . .”
It’s true that wherever apples grow, apple desserts are a cornerstone of home baking. The apple classics below have been streamlined for fat content without losing their essential homespun goodness.
DRIED-APPLE GINGERBREAD STACK CAKE
Preparation time: 50 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Standing time: 30 to 6 minutes
Yield: 16 servings
Crystallized ginger is available in jars in the spice section of most large supermarkets and in the bulk foods section at Whole Foods.
Dried-apple filling:
3 cups dried apples (about 6 1/2 ounces)
3 cups apple cider, or more if needed
1/4 cup sugar, or to taste
Gingerbread:
1 2/3 cups lightly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind (colored part only of 1 lemon)
Pinch of each: ground allspice, ground cinnamon, freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
3 large egg whites
3/4 cup unsulfured molasses
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/3 cup vegetable oil, preferably canola oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
1. For filling, combine dried apples and cider in a large saucepan; cook, covered, over medium-low heat, mashing occasionally, until the apples are very tender and form a chunky puree, 20 to 30 minutes. Check apples occasionally as they cook; if they become too dry, add a little more cider or water. Sweeten the apples with sugar to taste and set aside to cool. (The apple filling can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.)
2. For gingerbread, heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 12-cup bundt pan or spray it with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Stir together brown sugar, ground and crystallized gingers, lemon rind, allspice, cinnamon and black pepper in a small bowl; set aside.
4. Beat eggs and egg whites in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until light and frothy, about 5 minutes. Beat in molasses. Gradually add the sugar-and-spice mixture until well blended. Lower the mixer speed slightly. Add about a third of the flour, then the oil, then another third of the flour. Quickly stir together the buttermilk and baking soda and add to the batter, mixing gently. Add the remaining flour, mixing just until evenly blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
5. Bake the gingerbread until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. If the gingerbread is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with aluminum foil halfway through the baking time. Cool the gingerbread in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes; then invert onto a rack and cool completely.
6. To assemble cake: With a long serrated knife, split the gingerbread into 3 even layers. Place the bottom layer on a serving platter. Spread half of the dried-apple filling on the cake and place the middle layer over the filling. Spread the remaining filling over the cake and top with the third layer. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and let it stand 30 to 60 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
Nutrition information per serving: 295 calories, 4 g protein, 6 g fat, 60 g carbohydrate, 110 mg sodium, 27 mg cholesterol.
APPLE, QUINCE AND CRANBERRY CRUMBLE
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Yield: 8 servings
Fruit filling:
3 1/2cups fresh cranberries (12 ounces), rinsed
3/4 cup sugar, or to taste
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange rind (colored part only of 1 orange)
2 pounds Golden Delicious or other sweet apples (about 5), peeled, quartered, cored, cut into thick slices
2 quinces (10 to 12 ounces each), peeled, halved, cored, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
Oat crumble topping:
3/4 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking rolled oats (not instant)
3/4 cup each: all-purpose flour, packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, preferably canola oil
1 tablespoon butter, softened
2 tablespoons apple cider
1 quart non-fat vanilla frozen yogurt (optional)
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a shallow 3-quart baking dish, such as a 10- by 14-inch oval gratin dish, or spray it with non-stick cooking spray.
2. For filling, mix 1 3/4 cups of the cranberries and sugar in a large heavy saucepan; heat to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in orange juice, orange rind and remaining 1 3/4 cups cranberries. Add apples and quinces. Spoon the fruit mixture into the prepared baking dish; set aside.
3. For topping, combine oats, flour and brown sugar in a large bowl. With a pastry cutter or your fingertips, blend in oil and butter until crumbly. Pour in apple cider and stir with a fork until the mixture is evenly moistened. Scatter the topping evenly over the fruit.
4. Bake until the fruit is bubbly and the topping has browned, 50 to 60 minutes. If you prefer to brown the top further, place it under the broiler very briefly. Cool the crumble on a wire rack 20 to 30 minutes. Serve in bowls, topping each portion with a scoop of non-fat vanilla frozen yogurt, if you like.
Nutrition information per serving: 364 calories, 3 g protein, 6 g fat, 80 g carbohydrate, 24 mg sodium, 4 mg cholesterol.
