September flew by so quickly, with mixed feelings of summer ending and Fall behind the corner. Even though it feels still like summer in central Italy, Fall has been showing her signs in the early morning breeze, crunchy fallen leaves, and cozy nights. I have been waiting impatiently for the season change. I do love summer, don't take me wrong, but high temperatures are not really my thing. Furthermore, I find Autumn so romantic and cozy - every day is a chance to find beauty in the ordinary - from foliage in our woods, candlelight, a warm sweater on a cold night, or a slow afternoon with a warm cup of coffee and a delicious pie.

With Fall officially arriving last week, I had to celebrate it properly, so last weekend, I baked this delicious Apple Pear Walnut Pie, and we headed to the woods for a picnic. It was nice to take a breath from the mundane and enjoy some peacefulness of nature and a good dessert.

As I wanted to make a pie that tastes like Fall, I combined apples and pears with cinnamon and touch of vanilla, and added chopped walnuts for extra taste and texture. I love walnuts and they go so well with fruit combination in this recipe. 

If you don't have pears at home you can just use apples and walnuts as well, or change walnuts for softened dry raisins. When it comes to fruit, choose firm apples and pears, as overripe fruit can produce too much liquid resulting in a soggy bottom crust. I love using Gala or Green Smith apple variety but firm Golden Delicious can work as well. 

If you love pies as much as I do, then having a go-to pie crust recipe is a must. The crust recipe indicated in this post is what I use for all my pie recipes and have always performed so beautifully. Besides being flakey, buttery and delicious, the dough keeps shape of my decorations and make all my pies beautiful even after baking. 

The ingredients indicated make two layers - one bottom, one top layer and a few decorations such as leaf cut-outs I used to decorate the borders. The single crust is perfect for galettes or single crust pies such as pumpkin pies, chocolate pies and similar. The recipe can be used for savory recipes as well, just omit sugar. 

The dish I am using for this recipe is Emile Henry Pie Dish, with 26 cm diameter (around 20 cm on the bottom) and is 6 cm tall. I find it perfect for making tall pies such as American pie and it bakes to a perfection without greasing the pan or using baking paper.

how to make a Perfect pie crust

Pie recipe is very straightforward and requires 5 ingredients: all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, butter and water. As simple the ingredients are, here are some tips on what to do ( and not to do :)) in order to have a perfectly flakey crust every time you bake.

• Butter should be very cold. Mixing the dough with your hands will warm up the mixture, so we want to make sure that the butter doesn't melt. Cold butter is what makes the pie crust flakey. 

• Water should be cold as well. Start adding water a tablespoon at the time, until the mixture starts to come together. You may not need all the water, and the number of tablespoons can depend on the type of butter and flour as well. 

• Don't knead the dough! You want to mix the ingredients just enough to create a ball from the dough. Kneading the dough like for example bread, will make the dough tough. 

• Roll out the dough on a floured surface and turn it clockwise for each roll. This will prevent the dough from sticking to the surface and will help you roll out evenly.

• Let the dough chill in the fridge for 40 minutes to 1 hour before rolling it out. This will cool the butter again and prevent the dough from breaking apart. 

• Once you filled the pie and decorated it put it back in the fridge for 15 minutes (use egg-wash only before baking). This will allow the top to cool and decorations will keep the shape during the baking. 

• The dough can be kept in the fridge for 2 days, or you can freeze it in a ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Allow it to come to room temperature when you are ready to roll it out into a pie crust.

APPLE PEAR WALNUT PIE
Marija Gvozdenovic

INGREDIENTS

Serves 8

For the CRUST 

480g all-purpose flour

4 tbsp granulated sugar

pinch of salt 

250g very cold butter

150ml ice-cold water 

FOR THE FILLING

5 big apples (Gala, Green Smith or Golden Delicious)

4 big pears 

80g roughly chopped walnuts

5 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp vanilla paste 

juice from 1/2 lemon

2 tbsp flour 

1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp milk for brushing 

METHOD

Prepare the crust:

In a bowl, mix flour, salt, and sugar. Add cold butter, and using your hands or pastry cutter, incorporate the butter into the mixture until it resembles a coarse meal. Start adding water, a tablespoon at a time, and gently stir with a spatula or wooden spoon. Sometimes you will need less or more water than indicated, depending on the flour and butter used. Stop adding water when the dough begins to form large clumps, it's not too sticky and can be formed in a bowl.

Transfer the pie dough to a floured work surface, and using floured hands, form a ball. Divide dough in half. Flatten each half into 2cm thick discs using your hands. Put the dough in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for 40 minutes to 1 hour. You can prepare the dough even the day before.

Prepare the filling:
Wash, peel, slice apples and pears, and add sugar, flour, lemon juice, vanilla paste, and cinnamon. Set aside.
 

Assemble the pie:
Take out the chilled dough and transfer it to a floured surface. Gently press the dough with your rolling pin, starting from the center, as the dough is very firm. Turn the dough with your hands clockwise at each roll so that dough doesn't stick to the surface. Roll out the dough in a large circle ( 3-5 mm thick), then helping yourself with a rolling pin, transfer the dough to the baking pan. Trim any extra dough and save it for decoration. Place the dish in the refrigerator while rolling out the second disc.
Roll out the second half of the dough, using the same method as before. Here, you can either cover the pie entirely or decorate it with a lattice pattern like I did. In case you are covering the pie completely, make sure to cut several slits in the center.
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 F). Grease and flour the baking pan if needed. 
Take the pie dish out of the fridge and pour the filling. Make sure that the filling is firmly packed and spread evenly. Fold in the edges and press them with your fingers to make a fluted edge. Roll out the second disc of dough to a large rectangular shape. With a knife, create stripes ( I used a mixture of thin and thick stripes and, in total, had 18 lines). Place the dough strips over the filling in a lattice pattern. Seal the edges with some water, and decorate the borders with cut-out leaves. Put the pie in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Beat the egg yolk with 1 tbsp milk. When the pie is chilled, brush it with egg mixture. Bake for 50-60 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius (350 F) or until golden brown and filling is bubbly. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before serving. This will help the filling set, making it easier to cut the pie. Serve warm or cold with ice cream or whipped cream.

Is there anything better than warm, fluffy brioche bread on a cold fall morning? The richness, texture, and softness - brioche bread is always a good reason to have a slow breakfast. With pumpkin season in full swing, I have been making a lot of pumpkin puree. It has become my go-to ingredient for both sweet and savory recipes, and this time I wanted to make a fall version of regular brioche bread. With notes of cinnamon, pumpkin puree, and maple syrup, this brioche bread is sweet, soft, and delicious.

Did I mention it's completely vegan?

Whereas regular brioche recipes call for eggs and butter, this version is egg and butter-free, completely vegan, and has a light, airy texture. It can be prepared in a few hours (including the rising time) and savored for many days after the baking. After 2-3 days, it becomes perfect for making french toast, and today I will reveal to you how to make the perfect, most delicious French toast without using any eggs.

how to prepare vegan brioche bread

You will need a few essential ingredients - flour, yeast, salt, a dash of cinnamon, plant-based milk, pumpkin puree, and maple syrup for this recipe.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, yeast, cinnamon, and salt. Add in the dairy-free milk, maple syrup, and pumpkin puree. Using a spatula, fold until mostly combined. Sprinkle a little more flour if needed and knead the dough for about 10 minutes, until elastic and smooth.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let sit for 60-90 minutes in a warm, draft-free place until doubled. Once the dough has doubled, divide it into three parts and make balls from each part. Gently knead every dough ball until elastic and smooth.
Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). Prepare a rectangular loaf baking pan by greasing the loaf or covering it with parchment paper. Place the three dough pieces in a row and cover them with a kitchen towel. Keep them in a warm place until doubled in size, about 20-30 minutes. Brush with maple syrup and bake for 40-45 minutes until golden.

how to make homemade pumpkin puree

I prefer making my own pumpkin puree instead of buying canned one, as it is a much healthier and tastier option to add to your sweet and savory dishes. Making a homemade version is very simple and straightforward, and all you have to do is:

• Wash the pumpkin and cut it in half. If your pumpkin is too big, try cutting them into four or six pieces.

• Preheat your oven at 200 C or 395 F. Place the halves cut-side-down onto a baking sheet and roast until the flesh is soft and coming away from the skin (About 40 to 50 minutes). Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then take a spoon and gently transfer the pumpkin flesh to a food processor.

• Blend for 30 seconds or until completely smooth. Pour the mixture into the glass jars and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days.

how to eat pumpkin brioche bread?

Right out of the oven, toasted, alone, or with some hazelnut spread, this pumpkin brioche is a perfect way to start your morning. If you forgot to put it away correctly or had it for a few days and it dried out, don't throw it away but instead prepare French toast, the vegan way.

French toast is one of my favorite breakfast options as it reminds me of a lot of Saturdays at home, my childhood, and the beautiful aroma filling up the house. Any bread can be used for french toast, but regular white bread or brioche bread brings the best results. And where you would need eggs and milk for a regular recipe, today we will be making a vegan kind, superb in taste that you can not even tell it is completely made without eggs.

For this recipe, you will need some plant milk of your choice, maple syrup, flour, nutritional yeast (it will give that egg flavor to your toast), ground flaxseeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, a pinch of salt, and some coconut oil for the pan. Gently whisk the ingredients and soak every piece of bread on both sides. Transfer to pan and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden. Drizzle with maple syrup, add cinnamon, whipped cream, and enjoy. You can omit the spices if you don't have them, but I like the cozy, cinnamon aroma this french toast has. This vegan french toast recipe is so easy to make and perfect for the cozy weekend breakfast at home.

CAN i FREEZE BRIOCHE BREAD?

If you have leftover brioche bread, let it cool completely, then slice it and place the slices into freezer ziplock bags and freeze. They can last up to 3 months in the freezer; make sure to take them a few hours before consuming and heat in the oven for 8-10 minutes at 180 C (350 F) until warm and tender. I don't recommend freezing the french toast. Instead, freeze only brioche bread and make french toast the same day.

TIPS FOR MAKING A PERFECTLY SOFT BRIOCHE BREAD

1. Do I have to use bread flour? 

No, you don't have to. I mix it with all-purpose flour for better rising, but you will have a perfect result if you use only all-purpose flour as well.

2. Can I use a store-bought pumpkin puree? 

Of course, just make sure it's 100% pumpkin and not a pumpkin pie mixture.

3. Can I use fresh yeast instead of dry yeast? 

Yes, use 7g of dry yeast or 25g of fresh yeast. However, make sure to use it properly. Dry, instant yeast is added directly to the rest of the ingredients without leaving it to bloom. Fresh yeast should be melted in some warm milk before adding it to the rest of the ingredients. Also, it is very important to have your milk mild, not hot ( 37 C or 100 F), so you don't kill the yeast.

4. Can I omit the maple syrup?

Yes, but the bread won't be sweet. In case you don't have it, add 3-4 tablespoons of sugar to the dry ingredients.

VEGAN PUMPKIN BRIOCHE BREAD
Marija Gvozdenovic

INGREDIENTS

Serves 6 

300g all-purpose flour

200g bread flour

320ml dairy-free milk

50ml maple syrup + more for brushing

7g yeast

Pinch of salt

130g pumpkin puree

1 tsp cinnamon

METHOD

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, yeast, cinnamon, and salt. Add in the dairy-free milk, maple syrup, and pumpkin puree. Using a spatula, fold until mostly combined. Sprinkle a little more flour if needed and knead the dough for about 10 minutes, until elastic and smooth.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let sit for 60-90 minutes in a warm, draft-free place until doubled. Once the dough has doubled, divide it into three parts and make balls from each part. Gently knead every dough ball until elastic and smooth.

Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F). Prepare a rectangular loaf baking pan by greasing the loaf or covering it with parchment paper. Place the three dough pieces in a row and cover with a kitchen towel. Keep them in a warm place until doubled in size, about 20-30 minutes. Brush with maple syrup and bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden. Serve warm. The dough can remain fresh for 2-3 days if stored in an airtight container. 

VEGAN PUMPKIN FRENCH TOAST

INGREDIENTS

Yields 6 slices
1 cup (240ml) plant-based milk
1 tbsp maple syrup plus some more for serving
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp nutritional yeast (gives that egg-flavor)
1 tsp cinnamon
 ¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground flax seeds
Pinch of salt
Coconut oil for pan

METHOD

In a deep bowl, whisk together milk, maple syrup, flour, nutritional yeast, cinnamon, nutmeg, flaxseed meal, and salt.
Heat the pan with some coconut oil on medium heat. Dip each slice of bread in the batter for a couple of seconds on each side (If your batter is too thick, thin with a bit of dairy-free milk). If your bread is dry, leave it in a little longer.  Transfer to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden. Drizzle with maple syrup, add cinnamon, and some whipped cream. Enjoy!

November came suddenly to our countryside, with lower temperatures and long foggy, rainy days. With lots of rain, we stayed at home, enjoying our fireplace, warm sweaters and cozy meals. Those of you who follow me on Instagram already know that I have a pretty serious crush on pumpkins, and every time I go grocery shopping, I bring home at least one of them. Autumn seems to pass so quickly by, and this year I decided to enjoy this beautiful season as much as I can - and that includes filling my house with pumpkins of every kind! 

I love using pumpkin in my kitchen as well - soups, risottos, salads or cakes, pumpkin is really my go-to fall vegetable! Pies, both sweet and savory, make a big part of my fall baking, so I decided to combine two of my favorite fall things and make a super delicious savory pumpkin pie. 

Whole grain crust made with spelt flour and olive oil is ideal for making savory pies, as it’s flaky and soft, easy to roll, and has a great taste. It’s a perfect option for no butter or no egg version, made with only four ingredients that you all have at home.

The recipe for this pie is vegetarian as I used fresh Stracchino cheese and semi-soft Taleggio cheese to emphasize the creaminess of the filling. Also, they go very well with the sweetness of the pumpkin and the nutty flavor of roasted hazelnuts. This savory pumpkin pie is one of our favorite easy recipes for weekday dinners when we crave something easy, indulging and in season! 

Savory Pumpkin Pie with Whole Grain Crust, Mushrooms and Toasted Hazelnuts
Marija Gvozdenovic

INGREDIENTS

Serves 8
Prep. time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes 

For the crust 

300g spelt flour

50ml olive oil

½ tsp salt

ice-cold water

FOR THE FILLING


180g soft Stracchino cheese

150g semi-soft Taleggio cheese

400g fresh pumpkin

125g champignon mushrooms

1 medium onion

2 large eggs

3 tbsp olive oil

40g toasted hazelnuts (can be omitted)

ground black pepper to taste

salt to taste

a cup of water

METHOD

In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, and olive oil. Start adding water, a spoon at the time. Knead the dough until elastic and smooth. Add more water if the dough feels dry or a bit more flour if it results too wet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 40 minutes.

In a large pan, add 3 tbsp olive oil, add chopped onion and saute until golden. Add chopped mushrooms, pumpkin cubes, 1/2 cup of water and cook on medium heat. Add more water if needed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Make sure not to overcook it. Once the pumpkin and mushrooms are softened, remove from heat and let to cool for a few minutes.

Preheat your oven at 180 degrees Celsius. In a medium bowl, beat two eggs, add chopped cheese and cooked pumpkin. Mix well until combined. Add more salt or pepper if needed.

Roll out your dough on a lightly floured surface. Transfer it to a prepared baking pan (mine has a diameter of 25cm) and with a fork, make small holes. Pour the pumpkin filling over the crust and evenly sprinkle toasted hazelnuts. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top of the pie is set, and the crust has a golden color. Serve warm and enjoy!

Is there a better way to start off Monday than with a chocolate layer cake accompanied with soft poached pears? What if I told you that this cake is vegan (no butter or eggs in that filling), has soft chocolate layers and frosting to die for?

Chocolate and pears go so well together, and this cake confirms it. With autumn and colder days in the countryside, I love mixing up the spices and warming up the house with a cinnamon scent. Making poached fruit is one of those cozy rituals that we love tasting near the fireplace.

Spiced poached pears make an easy and elegant autumn dessert, eaten either alone or accompanied with whipped cream and a splash of melted chocolate.  Or for an even more indulging autumn dessert, try pairing it with spiced chocolate cake. You will not regret it, I promise!  

After a long hot summer and many fruit cakes, I was craving a good old chocolate layer cake. Soft chocolate layers, creamy chocolate frosting, and spiced poached pears make this cake an ultimate dessert for the upcoming holidays.

This chocolate layer cake is a quick and easy one-bowl recipe that happens to be egg-free and dairy-free. 

I know, baking vegan cakes can be a bit scary to those who usually go for traditional recipes with butter and eggs. But don’t let this stop you from making it - these chocolate layers are so moist and soft that no one will actually notice the difference! And what will surely happen, they will compliment your shiny and delicious frosting and ask for the recipe. 

Instead of butter and eggs, this time our frosting is made with one of my new favorite ingredients, Acquafaba. 

Acquafaba or chickpea water is a perfect egg substitute in all your recipes, not just vegan. 

It can be obtained in two ways. Either you buy pre-cooked chickpeas (I recommend buying the ones in a glass container instead of cans), drain the chickpeas and reserve the liquid. Or, if you prefer you can cook your own chickpeas and reserve the leftover cooking liquid. I prefer using the first option as the cooking liquid is never as silky and thick as the one you buy in stores and might not whip perfectly.

Acquafaba can be added to the recipes unwhipped as an egg replacer and binder of your dry ingredients, whipped into semi-stiff peaks and added to the recipes that call for an egg-white or whipped into stiff peaks for making desserts such as meringues and macaroons. 

Instead of throwing the aquafaba away preserve it and try using it in your recipes. You will be surprised how it turns out. I know I was. Whipped with hand or stand mixer, this silky chickpea water transforms in white firm peaks that will look just like egg whites. Mix in a good quality dark chocolate and you will obtain this delicious, shiny chocolate frosting that will become your new favorite. So rich in flavor and with a great texture, this frosting can be used for many recipes - from covering the layer cake, making brownies, chocolate mouse and many others. Quick note - it is important that your aquafaba is cold as this will make it easier when whipping the frosting. The result should be silky, chocolate frosting that has a nice firm consistency. 

A few very basic ingredients will make this cake irresistible and perfect for the upcoming holidays. If you decide to make it, tag me on Instagram @thehungryapron or comment below this post - I can't wait to hear your opinions! 

Vegan Chocolate Cake with Poached Pears and delicious Chocolate Frosting
Marija Gvozdenovic

INGREDIENTS

Serves 1O 
Prep. time: 1hour
Cooking time: 20 minutes

For the cake 

180g brown sugar

400ml mineral sparkling water

180ml sunflower oil

4 tbsp pear sauce (find instructions below)

300g all-purpose flour

4 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

65g roughly chopped vegan chocolate (at least 50% cocoa)

FOR THE pear sauce  

2 medium pears, peeled and chopped

4 tbsp water

1 tbsp brown sugar

½ tbsp cinnamon

Pinch of ground nutmeg

FOR THE FROSTING

20ml acquafaba (Chickpea water), cold from the fridge

3 tsp powdered brown sugar (you can also use maple syrup)

120g vegan dark chocolate

FOR THE POACHED PEARS

1l water

120g sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

2-3 cloves

1-star anise

4 pears

METHOD

Prepare the cake:

Preheat your oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 °F). Prepare the pear sauce by adding all the ingredients to a blender and mixing until smooth. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, water, sunflower oil, and pear sauce until combined. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, and spices. Mix well and then add the chopped chocolate. Grease and flour your pan (or line your pan with baking paper). I used a 20cm round pan for this recipe. Divide your baking mixture and bake two cake layers for 20 minutes, or until the cake tester comes out clean. Place on a cooling rack until completely cooled down.

Prepare the poached pears:

Poach the pears by putting water, sugar, and spices in a large cooking pot. Bring to simmer until the sugar dissolves. Peel the pears and gently add them to the simmering water. Cook until soft, for 15-20 minutes, depending on their size. Once ready, remove them and continue to simmer the water until it becomes syrup.

Prepare the chocolate frosting:

Melt the chocolate for the frosting and cool it down before adding to aquafaba. In the meantime, place aquafaba in a medium bowl and whisk with a hand mixer. Once foamy, add sugar and continue mixing until it forms soft white peaks. Add melted chocolate and whisk for another 2 minutes. Your aquafaba must be cold (the best thing is to leave your chickpea can in the fridge overnight), as this will make it easier when whipping the frosting. The result should be silky, chocolate frosting. If your frosting seems too liquid, place it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes until it gets a nice, smooth consistency.

Assemble the cake:

Assemble the cake by spreading a light layer of frosting in between the cake layers. Cover the whole cake with remaining frosting and decorate with poached pears. Serve the cake with pear slices. If you prefer, you can serve pears in halves or even whole. In that case, cover your pears with the remaining syrup for extra taste and sweetness.

Cinnamon is one of my favorite spices and I use it in my kitchen all the time, especially when baking desserts. It gives so much aroma to my meals, so when the recipe calls for a generous cinnamon sugar layer, I am definitely in! And where there is cinnamon, there are also cinnamon rolls. Soft, fluffy and buttery, who can resist them? 

The first time I tried a cinnamon roll was back in high school. As a senior high school student, I used to live in Ohio for a year, where my host mom would often make cinnamon rolls. I hadn't tried them before that, so imagine how in love I was when taking the first bite of this delicious, fluffy treat. From then on, I could eat cinnamon rolls for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. 

Ten years later, I find myself in the kitchen, kneading the dough for the most delicious Fall recipe there is. Soft buttery dough, covered with a cinnamony  brown sugar layer, green apple chunks, and a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce to make it more exciting. The house feels like a little bakery and beautiful cinnamon aroma is everywhere. I take a sip of my coffee and patiently wait that they rise, just enough for the baking. 

Making homemade cinnamon rolls is actually pretty easy. This dough has essential ingredients that you all have at home, and all you need to do is follow the recipe and let it rest for some time. I know, resting time can be pretty difficult as all you think is the final result - that gorgeous, fluffy cinnamon roll filled with apples and caramel.

However, as we are using dry, instant yeast for this recipe, the rising process is pretty quick, and you can make these cinnamon rolls the same morning for your breakfast or brunch with friends. Trust me, once you bake them, they will be all gone in 10 minutes!

You can keep your stuffing simple and only go for cinnamon and brown sugar, but I highly recommend to add apple chunks and caramel to it. These ingredients go so well together and are worth a try! You can make your own caramel sauce (I am sharing the recipe in the instructions) or you can use the store-bought version, the choice is yours. I prefer making my own and using it throughout the fall for many recipes.

These soft, cinnamon rolls have made it to the top of our favorite Fall breakfast list, and now is your turn to try them and share this recipe with your family and friends. If you have time, take a picture before they are all gone and tag me on Instagram or use #thehungryapron so I can find you! I would love to see how they turned out!

Let’s be honest, is there a better way than starting your morning with these buttery, fluffy rolls?

Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Marija Gvozdenovic

INGREDIENTS

Serves 12

Prep. time: 40 Minutes

Cooking time: 20 Minutes

For the dough

4 tablespoons salted butter

180 ml of milk

60 ml water

390 - 450g all-purpose flour

50g granulated sugar

A pinch of salt

7g dry instant yeast

1 egg, room temperature

FOR THE filling

125g brown sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

5 tablespoons salted butter, softened

1 large granny smith, cored and finely chopped

5 tbsp caramel sauce (homemade or store-bought)

FOR HOMEMADE CARAMEL SAUCE

Makes 1 small jar

240 g granulated Sugar
115ml water
225ml Heavy Whipping Cream or Heavy Cream
1/2 tsp Salt

METHOD

In a small cooking pan, combine the milk, water, and butter. Heat on low for 1 minute, remove and stir. The butter should be melted and the milk warm. If the mixture is too hot, let it sit for a few minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, add 360g flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add the warm milk mixture and the egg. With a hand or stand mixer, beat on medium-low speed to combine. When the dough starts sticking to the sides of the bowl, start adding the remaining flour, 30g at a time until the dough stops sticking and forms a nice ball. I needed all the 450 grams of flour for my dough. Knead the dough with your hands for another 5 minutes, then cover with the plastic wrap and let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare cinnamon brown sugar by whisking together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and ground nutmeg until combined.

When the dough has risen nicely (at least doubled in size), put it on a lightly floured work surface, and with a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough into a rectangle (approx. 35 by 25cm).

Using a small spatula, spread the softened butter out evenly over the entire surface of the dough. Sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon brown sugar mixture. Top with apple chunks and drizzle caramel sauce on top. Roll up the dough tightly, cut it into 12 even pieces, and place it in a lightly greased round pan (I used a 28 cm round pan, but you can also use a rectangular one).

Cover the rolls with a kitchen towel and allow them to rise in a warm, dark place for 40 minutes or an hour. If you don't have this time, you can also preheat the oven to 100 degrees Celsius, turned it off, and place the rolls to rise there. The warm oven will make them rise in 20 minutes or so.

When the dough has risen, uncover the dish. Bake, the caramel apple cinnamon rolls for 15-18 minutes or until the rolls are golden and cooked through. Remove and let cool on a wire cooling rack for 5 – 10 minutes. Drizzle with the remaining caramel sauce and serve warm.

How to make your homemade caramel sauce

 If you are making homemade caramel, combine water, sugar, and salt into a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat, continually stirring as this will help the sugar dissolve faster. When the syrup comes to a boil, stop stirring until syrup is honey-colored, about 6-7 minutes. Continue cooking until syrup is light to medium amber, a minute more. Immediately add cream and reduce heat to medium-low. Stir constantly until you get a creamy caramel texture, another 3 minutes or so. Leave to cool before transferring it to a jar. Caramel will be runny while warm, but thicken as it cools. Keep it in the fridge for up to 1 month. 

Autumn has finally revealed her self, among yellow leaves, walnuts falling on the ground and foggy mornings. It seems just yesterday that September arrived, and now we have fully stepped into October. Autumn is here, which means lots of fresh apples are starting to show on our markets. 

Apples are my favorite fruit, and I can't imagine a day without them (literally, I eat them at least once a day :)). Not to mention all the autumn baking that includes this wonderful fruit. Easy weekend cakes, cinnamon rolls, pies, or simply baked, apples always find their place in my kitchen!

Today I am bringing a special recipe that comes all the way from the Balkan countries, and calls for poached apples and walnuts. Tufahije (singular Tufahija) is a traditional Bosnian recipe, which is spread out through the whole Balkan and is one of the homemade desserts I would often eat as a child. Soft poached apples, walnut filling and cream on top, go so perfectly together and result in a delicious, elegant dessert you can enjoy throughout the whole year. 

There's nothing more that feels like home than preparing desserts from my mother's journals and adding walnuts to practically everything. If you ever go to any Balkan countries, you will notice how we love walnuts. From layer cakes to simple recipes like this one, you will often find them listed among the ingredients. 

For me, apples and walnuts make a perfect autumn symphony, and this simple recipe for poached apples confirms it. Soft apples, creamy walnut filling, and lots of cream on top, this dessert definitely goes on top of my autumn comforting food! 

Poaching apples is easy, but if you are making them for the first time, there are few things you should think of:

• Buy a few apples more just in case one overcooks or brakes during the cooking
• When coring the apples, make sure not to make the hole through the apple - you want to remove the seeds but not cut through the apple as in that way your walnut filling will stay in place
• Make sure not to overcook them - apples need ten minutes to soften. We need soft apples that will not break
• Don't throw away the water in which you cooked apples! We will be covering our apples with the remaining syrup later on (trust me on this one, you will thank me later:))

You can even poach the apples in advance as in that way, they will soak all the juices and be even more delicious. Serve them warm or room temperature, with regular cream (if not vegan) or coconut cream. A few tablespoons of the apple juice released during the cooking and a sprinkle of walnuts will give them extra taste and make them so good! This recipe is perfect when you have many people over for dinner, and you need something tasteful but easy at the same time.

My recipe is a vegan version as I use water instead of milk when making the walnut filling and coconut cream instead of regular whipping cream, but feel free to change. This recipe you can also find in the printed version of the latest issue of Origin Magazine, along with many other vegan recipes perfect for the Fall! 

Are you ready to give these delicious apples a try? 

Poached Apples with Walnuts and Cream
( Tufahije )
Marija Gvozdenovic

INGREDIENTS

Serves 8
Prep. time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

8 larger apples (the best apples for this recipe are Golden or Red Delicious)

1l water for cooking the apples

200g sugar

Juice from one lemon

120g ground walnuts + some for decoration

3 tsp sugar for the walnut filling

70ml water for the walnut filling

Coconut whipped cream for decoration

METHOD

In a large pot, add sugar, water, and lemon juice. Bring to boil and simmer for a few minutes constantly stirring until all sugar is dissolved. Peel and gently core the apples, but make sure not to break them. Use a slice of lemon for brushing the apples before cooking. In this way, they will not turn brown. For this recipe, you will need whole apples. Add 3-4 apples to the simmering syrup and cook for about 5-10 minutes (depending on their size) or until they are soft enough to poke with a fork. If you have a large enough pan, you can also put all the apples together. Be careful while cooking them, as you don’t want to overcook them. The best way is to cook them for 5 minutes and then flip the sides. In this way, your apples will cook evenly and will not break.

In a smaller pan add water and sugar for the filling and cook on medium heat just for a few minutes, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat, add walnuts and stir until combined. Once the apples are ready, put them on a serving plate and leave to cool. Preserve the liquid as we will use it later on.

When the apples cooled down, fill them with the walnut mixture and cover with a few spoons of remained syrup. This will make your apples more soft and tasty. Put them in the fridge until serving. Whip the coconut cream, decorate apples and sprinkle with some ground walnuts. Enjoy!