Fruit Tips

Apple Dumplings

1 pkg. refrigerated pie crusts
4 Granny Smith or Jonathan apples (2-1/2" diameter), peeled and cored
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. raisins
1 egg
1 tsp. water
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Let one crust pouch sit at room temperature for 20 minutes to soften. Unfold crust, remove wrapping, and cut crust into fourths. From curved edge of each pastry piece, cut leaf shapes for a garnish.

Place an apple in the center of each pastry piece. Combine 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp. cinnamon and raisins and spoon into the apple cavities. Bring sides of pastry piece up to center of apple and press edges to seal. Garnish with pastry leaves. Place in ungreased 9" square baking pan. In small bowl, beat together egg and 1 tsp. water and brush over dumplings. Bake dumplings at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

In small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup water, 2 Tbsp. butter and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Pour over partially baked dumplings, and bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes or until crust is deep golden brown and apples are tender. Spoon sauce over dumplings several times during baking. Serve warm.

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Apple Pancake

1 large tart apple
3 Tbsp. butter
1-1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk

Peel apple and slice into very thin wedges. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet. Add sugars and cook over medium high heat until the sugars brown a bit. Add the apple wedges and spread them evenly over the skillet. Lower heat and cook apples for 2 minutes, shaking pan frequently. While they are cooking, beat egg with milk. Pour over apples. When eggs start to set a little, turn heat up to medium high. Check underside occasionally, lifting with spatula so it doesn't stick. When crisp and brown underneath, invert onto a hot platter and serve immediately.

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Fruit Salad

Instead of your usual high fat dessert, serve a fresh fruit salad. Chop and mix two or more fresh fruits in a bowl and sprinkle with fruit juice, lemon juice, cider or a couple of tablespoons of liqueur.

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Strawberry Blossoms

Strawberry Blossoms

12 large strawberries
1 3-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. sour cream
fresh mint

Remove stems from berries. Cut small piece off base if necessary so strawberries will sit flat. Place berries pointed end up. With sharp knife, carefully slice through center of each berry to within 1/4" of base. Cut each half into three wedges, forming 6 petals, not cutting through the base. Gently pull petals apart slightly.

In small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and sour cream until light and fluffy. With pastry bag and star tip, or a small spoon, carefully fill berries with cream cheese mixture. Garnish with fresh mint and serve.

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Apple Turnovers

When making apple turnovers, try grating the apples for the filling instead of slicing or chopping them. The texture and flavor will be perfect.

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Anti-Browning

Sprinkle cut apples with lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown. This stops enzymatic browning, which happens when enzymes in the fruit cells are exposed to air.

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Poached Peaches and Rum Custard

6 cups water
1-1/4 cups sugar
2 tsp. rum extract
8 medium size ripe peaches, peeled

In large heavy saucepan, combine water, sugar and rum extract and bring to a boil. Add peaches. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes until peaches are tender, basting occasionally with syrup. Remove peaches from syrup with slotted spoon and place 1 peach in each of 8 dessert dishes. Refrigerate.

1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
2 cups milk
2 egg yolks
1 tsp. rum extract

Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt and mix. Add milk and egg yolks and beat well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and stir in rum extract. Place waxed paper directly on top of custard and cool for 1 hour. Chill until cold. Stir custard and spoon over peaches just before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Calories: 230
Fat: 2 grams
Sodium: 95 mg

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Cooling Poached Fruit

Cool poached fruit in its cooking liquid. This adds to the flavor of the finished product, and helps maintain texture.

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Fruit Buckle

Fruit buckles are made with fruit mixed with a yellow cake batter and baked. This mixture may also be topped with streusel.

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Grapes With Sour Cream

1 pound seedless green grapes, removed from stem
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed into measuring cup and crumbled into dish

Mix the grapes and sour cream and chill in refrigerator for at least one hour. To serve, guests spoon the grape mixture into dessert dishes and sprinkle with the brown sugar.

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Chopping Dried Fruit

Dried fruit often sticks to your knife when you are chopping. To prevent this, spray the knife on both sides with a nonstick cooking spray.

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Coring Pears

To core a pear, cut it in half and use a melon baller to remove the core.

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Preparing a Mango

To prepare a mango, you must have a very sharp paring knife. Start by removing a thin slice from one end of the mango so it sits flat on the work surface. Hold the mango and remove the skin in thin strips, working from top to bottom. Cut down along the side of the flat pit to remove the flesh from one side of the mango and repeat on the other side. Trim around the pit to remove any remaining flesh. Slice or chop as desired.

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Caramelized Peach Shortcakes

3 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. amaretto, if desired
2 peaches, peeled and chopped
1 cup raspberries
6 purchased sponge shortcake cups
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar

Melt butter in a 10" skillet over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and cook for 2 minutes. Add amaretto, if using, and peaches. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until peaches are coated and glazed. Cool 10 minutes. Gently stir in raspberries.

Beat cream with powdered sugar until stiff. Top each shortcake cup with peach mixture and spoon dollop of whipped cream on top. 6 servings

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Fruit Grunts

A Fruit Grunt is fruit topped with biscuit dough, covered, and baked so that the biscuits steam rather than bake. The texture of the biscuits resembles dumplings. This is also called a Slump.

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Strawberry Shortcake

1 loaf frozen pound cake, thawed
3 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 cup heavy cream
3 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Using a potato masher, mash half of the strawberries. Stir in the sliced strawberries and chill. Beat cream with powdered sugar and vanilla. Slice pound cake, place each piece on serving plate, top with strawberry mixture and a dollop of cream. Serve immediately.

Serves 8

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Apple Crisp

5 cups tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced (about 12 apples)
2/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter, melted
1-3/4 cups flour
2 cups quick oats

Place sliced apples in a 13x9" glass baking dish. In small bowl, mix together 2/3 cup sugar, 3 Tbsp. flour and cinnamon. Sprinkle over apples.

In large bowl, mix together remaining ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle over apples in baking dish. (Dish will be very full). Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until apples are tender, mixture is bubbly, and topping is browned. Serve warm with ice cream.

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Blueberry Cobbler

1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
4 cups blueberries
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. shortening
1 cup flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch in 2 quart saucepan and stir in blueberries and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture boils and thickens. Boil and stir for 1 minute. Pour into ungreased 2 quart glass casserole dish and keep mixture hot in oven.

Cut shortening into flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in milk and drop dough by 6 spoonfuls onto hot blueberry mixture.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until topping is golden brown. Serve warm topped with whipped cream or ice cream.

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Grilled Pineapple

This extra easy recipe is a real surprise and tastes so wonderful.

1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2" slices
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. lemon juice (or use all lime or all lemon juice)
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
3 cups lime sorbet

Combine brown sugar, juices, and cinnamon until smooth. Spread on each side of each pineapple ring. Grill 4-5" from medium coals 5-10 minutes, turning once, until sugar mixture melts and pineapple is heated and tender. Top each slice with a small scoop of sorbet and serve immediately.

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Poached Applesauce

Applesauce is easy to make in the food processor or blender. First peel, core, then poach the apples until tender. Then puree. Add cinnamon and cloves for more flavor.

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Easy Fruit Crumble

For a really simple fruit crumble, place sliced, sugared fruits in a round glass pie pan. Then grate frozen pie pastry over the top of the fruits until they are covered with pastry. Bake at 350 degrees until topping is golden and fruits are bubbly.

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Poaching Fruit

When poaching fruit, make sure to regulate the heat so the liquid never goes above a simmer. If the liquid boils, the fruit will begin to fall apart.

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Peach Creme Brulee

1 cup sour cream
2 cups canned peach halves, drained OR 4 fresh peaches, peeled and cut in half
1/2 cup brown sugar

Place drained peach halves in a shallow glass baking dish. Spoon sour cream over peaches and sprinkle with brown sugar. Broil 4-6" from the heat until sugar melts and caramelizes. Serves 6

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Peeling Peaches

The peel will slip right off your peaches if you simply dip them into boiling water for 10-15 seconds, then plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process.

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Fruit Betty

A Fruit Betty is made of fruit combined with buttered bread or cake crumbs, then baked. The crumbs are layered with the fruit instead of being sprinkled on top.

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Fruit On A Cloud

3 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
4-oz. container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup halved seedless green grapes
1 cup sliced peaches
2/3 cup raspberries

Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. In small bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add whipped topping and beat until smooth. Fold in marshmallows. Spoon about 1/2 cup of mixture into 4 mounds onto prepared cookie sheet. Spread into 3" circle and make a well in the center. Freeze at least 3 hours.

To serve, let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Top with fresh fruit and serve.

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