Apple Pie Shortcakes

One of the first desserts I ever learned to make was individual strawberry shortcakes. You know the kind, with the biscuits sliced in half and the whipped cream? I still have a soft spot for it and make it when strawberries are in season. But now apples are in season so why not do the same with them? The answer is that it's a great idea and I don't know why it took me so long to think of it. So many missed apple shortcakes!

 

I love apples anyway and autumn apple picking in my home state of New York is a tradition. But then comes the inevitable question of what to do with all the apples and which apples are good for which recipe. This year I was treated to a taste of the new SnapDragon apples and I was instantly hooked. Think Honey Crisps only better. They were developed by Cornell University in partnership with Crunch Time Apple Growers and they're wonderfully sweet and juicy, great for eating out of hand but the texture also holds up beautifully in baking. Or, in this case, sauteing.
 

A few minutes in my cast iron pan with butter and just a little sugar and they were tender but not mushy. Some wonderfully fragrant cinnamon and fresh whipped cream added just the right touch and it smelled amazing in here. I had a whole batch and shortcakes are always best fresh so I had my neighbors in for an unexpected treat. I think I'm pretty popular with my neighbors. Enjoy!

Yield: 8 Servings

Author: Anita Schecter

Apple Pie Shortcakes

Prep time: 40 MinCook time: 20 Mininactive time: 30 MinTotal time: 1 H & 30 M

Recipe for sweet sauteed apples served on a sweet biscuit and topped with fresh whipped cream.

Ingredients

For the Biscuits:

• 2 Cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 Cup sugar
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 3/4 Teaspoon salt
• 1 Stick unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1" pieces
• 1 Cup buttermilk

For the Filling:

• 4 SnapDragon apples, peeled and diced
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

For the Topping:

• 1 Cup heavy cream
• 2 Tablespoons sugar

Instructions

1. To make the biscuits, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles course crumbs. Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk. Gently bring the mixture together with a fork, cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. To make the filling, toss the diced apples with the lemon juice and add to a skillet or cast iron pan with the butter. Saute on low to medium heat for approximately 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples have begun to soften. Stir in the sugar, cinnamon and salt and continue cooking just until the sugar dissolves.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees.
4. Pat the dough out on a floured surface until it's about 3/4" thick. Use a 3" round cutter to form the biscuits and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make the cuts close together so that you'll only have to re-roll the scraps one time to avoid over-working the dough. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes until the biscuits are a light golden brown. Whip the heavy cream and sugar together until thickened. Slice each biscuit in half, top with a spoonful of the apple mixture and a dollop of the whipped cream. Serve warm.

The SnapDragon apples are now available at select retailers in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions. Check out the Crunch Time Apple Growers web site for a list of stores that carry the apples.

This recipe was sponsored by Crunch Time Apples. Thank you for supporting the products I love and use in my kitchen.