Autumn En Croute

This morning after ushering my boys off to school, I knew it was time to open up a can of apple pie filling and get down to business.  My autumn recipe experimentation would not be complete without an apple dish of some sort.  There is nothing more soothing to the stomach on a chilly morning than a warm drink or bite to eat, as it's easy on the digestive tract.  On that note, I knew I needed to warm up my apples in a frying pan with butter and work from there.  I couldn't just make apples, they either needed something to accompany them or they needed to be contained as a filling, so I reached in my refrigerator for a household staple, a Pillsbury crescent seamless dough sheet.  I then went through my baking cabinet and pulled out anything I thought might compliment the apples.  I pulled out sliced almonds, red craisins, brown sugar, cocoa powder and cinnamon.  From the refrigerator, I grabbed a stick of butter and 1 banana and from there, I created a heavenly dish, one that would be appropriate for breakfast, brunch or as a delicious dessert.

Here's How:

Preheat oven, bake at 350 degrees

Chill a mixing bowl in your refrigerator

Ingredients

1-8 oz container Pillsbury crescent seamless dough sheet
1/2 can apple pie filling/topping
2 tbsp red craisins
1 sliced banana
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup sifted cocoa powder
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 stick butter (reserve 1 melted/softened tbsp for brushing the dough before baking)
1/2 pt heavy cream
4 tbsp organic cane sugar

In a frying pan over a low flame, melt 1/2 stick of butter.

When butter is warm, add 1/2 can apple pie filling, 

brown sugar, red craisins and almonds to the pan and simmer (turn up the heat to medium), stirring constantly.

Add sliced bananas.

Next, add your cocoa powder and finish by adding 3 tsp of butter and 1 tbsp ground cinnamon.  Simmer for approx 1 minute.

On a lined, greased or non-stick baking sheet, unroll your sheet of dough.

Carefully spoon the ingredients from the pan along the center of you baking sheet (be sure to place the filling narrowly in the center of the dough leaving a 1-2 inch border of dough) and fold your ends over, sealing the dough together with your fingers, wrapping it up like a package.

With a pastry brush, gently brush all over your pastry shell, 1 tablespoon of butter, place in the oven and bake until golden brown

Allow your pastry to set prior to removing it from the pan before cutting it.  If you have a warming drawer, set on low, cover the pastry on the baking sheet with aluminum foil.

While your pastry is setting, in a small chilled bowl, pour 1/2 pint of heavy cream.

With a mixer/beater on LOW, begin creaming your liquid.  Slowly add the sugar while beating. Continue until stiff peaks form.  

Remove your pastry from the tray and place it on a decorative platter of choice.

With a sharp knife, slice a triangle/wedge slice.  Place it on a dish.

With a large serving spoon or small ice cream scooper, place a dollop of fresh whipped cream on top.  With a sifter, add a dusting of ground cinnamon.

A mint sprig would give the dish some color.  Place the sprig on the whipped cream.

Serve warm (complimentary, with a hot cup of tea or coffee).



Bon Apetite!


Jamie Gottschall
The NYClifestylist