Apple-Stuffed French Toast
Stuffing
Peel and slice thinly: 5-6 apples
Heat 1T oil in a medium-hot frying pan. Place the sliced apples in the pan and sprinkle with cinnamon. Cook until they are soft but not mushy.
Place 8 oz. cream cheese or Neufchatel (low fat cream cheese) in a blender. Add 1 t sugar and 1/2 cup of the cooked apples and blend.
Reserve the remaining cooked apples.
French toast
Heat oven to 170.
Set out: 12 slices of dense bread, preferably slightly dry
Mix: 3 eggs
3 cups milk
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t salt
1 T sugar
Pour 1/3 of the mixture into a flat-bottomed pan and soak four pieces of bread in the mixture. Allow the mixture to soak into one side, then turn and allow the bread to soak until it is thoroughly penetrated with the mixture, but do not allow the bread to become so soggy that it breaks apart easily. You should be able to pick up each piece with a fork and transfer it to a frying pan. (If your bread becomes too soggy to lift with a fork, use a spatula.) Fry the bread slices in about 1 T. of oil until evenly brown on both sides and cooked all the way through.
Repeat this process until all of the slices are cooked. Store cooked slices on an oven-proof plate in the warm oven until all 12 slices are cooked.
Spread each slice of French toast with the cream cheese mixture. Spoon the reserved cooked apples onto six of the slices and spread them evenly. Top the apples with another slice of French toast, cream cheese side down. Repeat until you have 6 French toast “sandwiches.” Sprinkle the sandwiches with powdered sugar, cut in half, and serve with maple syrup.
Makes 6 servings.
One 8 oz. package of cream cheese makes enough for the six servings in this recipe. You can cut the recipe down by making less French toast (divide eggs and milk by six for each two slices; other ingredients to taste). The leftover cream cheese spread is delicious on anything.
Apple Soufflé
Unlike many other soufflés, this one is delicious hot or cold.
Peel, core, and slice 5-6 apples. Cook them in 3T butter over medium-low heat until they are soft.
Separate 8 eggs and beat the yolks in a large bowl with the rind and juice from 1 lemon, 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream, 2T sugar, 2T flour, 1/2 cup ground almonds, and a pinch of salt.
Spoon the cooked apples with their juice into the yolk mixture and mix. Allow the mixture cool, while you:
Beat the 8 egg whites until they hold a peak, then fold into the apple mixture.
Pour this mixture into an oblong, lightly greased baking pan, preferably glass, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.
Apple Crisp
A low fat version of an old favorite...
8 apples, peeled and sliced
1 T white sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t allspice
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 cup water
1 T lemon juice
*
2/3 cup flour
3 T butter or margarine
3 T brown sugar
1/4 t salt
2/3 cup quick oats
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Butter a square glass baking dish. Slice the apples into a bowl and mix with the sugar and spices. Place in the baking dish, add the water and lemon juice. Cut together the flour, butter, brown sugar, and salt. (This can be done by hand or in a food processor.) Add the quick oats, chopped nuts and cinnamon. Spread the topping over the apples and bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.
Apple Cake with Walnuts and Cream Cheese
3 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 T sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
pinch of salt
Combine sliced apples, lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon; sprinkle very slightly with salt, toss, and set aside.
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1.5 cups flour
1 t BP
1/4 t salt
1/3 cup sugar
3 T butter
1/2 cup Neufchatel (low fat) cream cheese
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup walnuts
1 T butter, melted
Sift flour, BP, and salt together and set aside. Cream the sugar, butter, and cheese. Add the eggs and vanilla. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk, beating only until combined.
Place the batter in a buttered, oblong baking pan. Sprinkle the walnuts on top. Place the apple mixture over the nuts and brush with the melted butter. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
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1/4 cup apricot jam
2 t fruit juice
Mix the apricot jam and the fruit juice over low heat in a small saucepan. Brush it over the apples while the cake is still hot. Let the cake cool before serving.
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