UrbnSpice

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Apples

The Ultimate Caramelized Apple Cake

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Urb’n’Spice Ultimate Recipe Series

Homemade apple cake is a favourite any time of the year.  What makes it so appealing is the versatility of how these delicious cakes can be served.  There is a multitude of apple cake recipes to be found, but I wanted to give you a recipe that kicks up the flavour, texture and versatility up another notch. My Ultimate Caramelized Apple Cake uses a unique technique as well as a distinctive ingredient that is all about building flavour.  This special apple cake will be a hit for breakfast, or that next coffee party, or served warm for dessert with softly whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  You are going to love it as much as we do!

Ultimate Caramelized Apple Cake | urbnspice.com
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How to Make the Best Waldorf Salad

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Food memories provide a vivid sense of fragrances and tastes as well as a clear reminder of the people that we shared them with.  I was reminiscing about my Mom the other day.   She had a very special gift that involved remembering every visitor’s favourite foods whenever they came over. For example, when Mom received a telephone call from my cousin that she was coming to see her, Mom would busy herself in the kitchen preparing a batch of her favourite coconut tarts.   The aromas of the freshly baked tarts filled our home upon her arrival.

How to Make the Best Waldorf Salad | urbnspice.com
Waldorf Salad is a refreshing, flavourful and nutritious salad that generations have enjoyed ever since it was invented in 1896.

My daughters have wonderful food memories of when they visited their grandmother.  Mom would always make their favourite – Waldorf Salad. They remember the diced sweet red apple and crunchy celery in a creamy dressing, combined with thinly sliced red grapes and fragrant walnuts that the girls helped crack open with what they considered fascinating tools. 

How to Make the Best Waldorf Salad | urbnspice.com

Waldorf Salad has been a family favourite for generations ever since it was first invented by the maître d’ of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City in 1896. You will love the simplicity, flavours and textures of this refreshing salad.  I am confident that this easy-to-make tasty and nutritious salad with accessible ingredients will become your family favourite too!

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Apple Cream Pie – The Pie That Stole My Husband’s Heart

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Apple Cream Pie – The Pie That Stole My Husband’s Heart

Also Known as: “Better Than Beer Pie”

And Also: “Pie in a Bag”

This Apple Cream Pie has many names because there are many stories connected to it. The name that I like best is “The Pie That Stole My Husband’s Heart”. The first time I made it was for my guy over 40 years ago when we first started dating. Making this pie was a huge step for me because up until then, my attempts at pie crusts were marginally successful (you can read all about my adventures in pie crusts here).

Apple Cream Pie cooling | urbnspice.com

I am not one to give up easily, so I watched, I learned and I practiced at my Mom’s side. In time, I became fairly confident making this special recipe for my guy and his brothers who were busy working on their family farm. I may have stolen three hearts that day because the feedback about my pie was outstanding. They proclaimed that ‘this pie is better than beer’ and that was high praise coming from self-described starving university students more accustomed to beer as their primary source of nutrition.

The interesting thing about that original pie recipe was that it was baked inside of a paper bag. I have always been a curious cook and baking a pie inside a paper bag really piqued my interest. The result was a soft juicy filling with a flaky crust. Ever since that day, any request for an apple pie was always for ‘The Pie in a Bag’.

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Apple Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

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This recipe was made for Easter breakfast when my two daughters were very young, and it has been a favourite ever since. I am unsure of the origin of the recipe – it has been adapted several times over the years.  Try this recipe for Apple Cinnamon Streusel Muffins – they are ‘yummy in my tummy’ as my daughters often said.

Apple Streusel Muffins with Creamy Cinnamon Spread | urbnspice.com

Apple Streusel Muffins with Creamy Cinnamon Spread 

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Urbnspice Ultimate Apple Crisp

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The Ultimate Recipes Series

I want to share with you my recipe for Urbnspice Ultimate Apple Crisp because the first crisp evenings of autumn are upon us. The leaves are starting to turn crimson, gold and yellow and the crickets are chirping – a sure sign that fall is approaching. When I think of autumn, I think of fall fruits.  A favourite of mine is apples.

It is just as exciting waiting for the first fresh crop of apples as it is the first strawberries or potatoes or corn. Apples will be the focus of this article, particularly because we have just returned from Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia. We enjoyed a number of delicious varieties along our route. For example, Gravenstein apples, which are known by the locals as “Gravs.”

Did you know that certain varieties are more suited for certain recipes than others? A softer apple, such as McIntosh is more suited for a baked apple, while a Mutzu or Granny Smith hold their shape when baked, making it ideal for apple pie or crisps. I came across an excellent Apple Reference Chart that can help you decide which apple will be best for your particular baking needs.

Urbnspice Ultimate Apple Crisp with the addition of mixed berries is a wonderful variation | urbnspice.com

Urbnspice Ultimate Apple Crisp with the addition of mixed berries is a wonderful variation 

I used a combination of apples for this crisp: tart Granny Smith and sweet Crisp Pinks. You can use any combination of apples, even those apples hidden in the bottom of crisper that have seen better days. Adjust the sweetness of the apples based on their tartness. The recipe for the crisp topping is listed below; however, I prefer doubling the amount of topping to make a very generous layer of crisp topping….

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