Apple Desserts

Apple picking is hands down one of my favourite Autumn activities.  We used to go to "Andy's U-Pick" growing up as a kid.  We would drive to this orchard just outside of my home city of Montreal... warm sweaters and rubber boots on all us kids.   Picnic lunch of French bread, pate and red wine for the grown ups, and for the kids, the special treat of Magic Squares made by Mum.  We would go with family friends, and if memory serves me correctly, Mum would have us pick the apples off the ground because they were cheaper.  We'd haul a big bag home, only to discover them in our lunches everyday for the months to come.  Thankfully, they were also baked into delicious recipes such as these.  I can't take credit for these recipes, I got them from me mum.

Apple Crisp

Ingredients: 
~5-6 tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced
~3 tbsp of granulated sugar
~3/4 tsp of cinnamon

~1/4 tsp of salt
~1/2 cup of packed light brown sugar
~1/2 cup of uncooked rolled oats
~1/3 cup of all-purpose flour
~4 tbsp of unsalted butter (1/2 stick) cut into small pieces

Directions: 
Prepare apples and mix in sugar and cinnamon.  Place in bottom of lightly greased pan or casserole dish.  Mix remaining ingredients to form a loose mixture to crumble on top of apples.  Cook at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until crumble is crispy, golden and apples are soft.

Apple German Cheese Torte

Ingredients:

Crust: (the best short-bread crust ever!)
1/4 cup of cold unsalted butter
1/3 cup of granulated sugar
1 tsp of lemon juice
1 cup of flower

Filling:
~1 8 oz package of cream cheese
~1/4 cup of sugar
~1 egg
~1 tsp of lemon juice

Topping:
~5 medium apples
~1/3 cup of sugar
~1/2 tsp of cinnamon

~1/4 cup of sliced almonds
~1 tbsp of icing sugar

Directions:
To make crust, mix ingredients, cutting butter in.  Push this powdery mixture into bottom and sides of pie plate to form crust.  Combine all filling ingredients and beat with electric beater until smooth.  Pour into crust. Peel, core and slice apples, mix with sugar and cinnamon, and place on top of filling. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.  In last 10 minutes, sprinkle with slivered almonds and allow to brown slightly.  Let cool and sift icing sugar on top to decorate.