Meals on Monday - Apple Cherry Dessert

Happy Labor Day one & all!  We've been celebrating since Saturday and it's been a wonderful weekend thus far.  For our family BBQ on Saturday, I brought a side & a dessert.  That's the perfect meal in my mind.... sides and dessert! :)

As a side dish, I made my Grandmother's Calico Beans... they were a tremendous hit.  Chris' family always loves it when I bring them.  They are a great source of protein & fiber (and if bacon was it's own food group, it's a good source of that too! :)  I'll share that recipe with you very soon... but... the star of the show was the dessert.

I made an Apple Cherry Dessert that was AMAZING!  It was so good the 9x13 pan was empty and there were only 10 of us.  It uses a homemade flaky pastry crust and with an apple cherry filling that's perfect for autumn!  So without further adieu here's the recipe - straight from my brain to you!

Apple Cherry Dessert
Crust:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter, cold
1/2 cup milk
1 egg separated

In large bowl combine flower and salt; cut in the butter until crumbly.  Stir in milk and egg yolk.  Chill in fridge for 15 minutes.  Divide dough in half and roll out each portion into a 9x13 rectangle.  Place bottom crust in greased 9x13 pan.

Sprinkle with 1 cup cornflakes.

Filling:
5-6 cups granny smith apples, peeled & diced
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 can (21 oz.) cherry pie filling.

Mix apples with cinnamon, sugar and vanilla.  Stir in cherry pie filling.  Pour entire mixture on top of cornflakes.

Top with second rolled out crust.  Cut slits in top.  In small bowl, beat egg white and brush over pastry.  This creates that yummy, golden brown top.  Then sprinkle with 1 Tbsp sugar.

Bake at 350 F for 55 minutes or until crust is golden brown.  Let cool on wire rack.

Glaze:
1/2 powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 or 2 tsp milk added slowly

Mix all glaze ingredients starting with less milk and slowly adding more until you get desired consistency.  Drizzle over top of the dessert.  Can be served warm or cool.  Refrigerate the left overs (if there are any!) :)

*Note:  I used Granny Smith apples because of their tartness.  The sweet of the cherry pie filling needs a little tart to balance it out.  It would also be delicious with peaches, rhubarb or pears!

I'll share with you Grandma's Calico Beans on another day.   Promise!
Enjoy your Labor Day!

  ~Dawn

Cherry Rhubarb Dessert with Vanilla Icing!

It's that time of the year again... rhubarb time!  With the lack of rain we've had in WI (until this past weekend) the rhubarb seems to be a slow grower this year... not to worry though, with yesterday's rain & sunshine all week, I'm sure the rhubarb will make a liar out of me... and I'm O.K. with that! :)

Today's delectable rhubarb treat would be great with coffee as a pastry breakfast, or (because I can't wait until tomorrow) after dinner served slightly warm still as a fresh, light, flaky dessert.  Last year when I made this recipe, it was so delicious these bars got all gobbled up before I could even get a picture.  SO this year, I'm going to try to beat Chris to the pan an get a picture before they are gone... they really do bake up very pretty.

Here's the recipe!  Make sure when you want to make this you allow preparation time because you make the pastry crust by hand! (and it's worth every bit of effort!)

Cherry Rhubarb Dessert

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 cup butter - cold
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, separated
1 cup corn flakes (I used blueberry special K)
4-5 cups diced fresh rhubarb.  (See Note if you use frozen rhubarb)
1 1/2 cups + 1 Tblsp sugar, divided
1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1.5 - 2 tsp. milk

1. In a large bowl, combine flour & salt; cut in butter until crumbly.
2. Stir in the milk & egg yolk.
3. Divide dough in half.
4. On lightly floured surface, roll out each portion into a 13x9 rectangle.
5. Place one rolled out piece into a greased 13x9 baking dish.
6. Sprinkle with cornflakes.
7. In a large bowl, combine rhubarb and 1 1/2 cups sugar, stir in cherry pie filling and vanilla; spread over corn flakes.
8. Top with remaining rolled out pastry.
9. Cut small slits in the top.
10. In a small bowl lightly beat the egg white; brush over pastry.  This will make the top bake up beautiful golden brown.
11. Sprinkle with remaining sugar.
12. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
13. Cool on wire rack.
14. In a small bowl, combine the glaze ingredients; drizzle over bars.
15. Store in refrigerator.  Can be served warm or cooled with ice cream or whipped cream.
16. NOTE:  If using frozen rhubarb, measure while frozen (5 cups).  Thaw completely in a colander, drain but do not press liquid out of the rhubarb.

I hope you take a chance an try this recipe.  I had no idea how wonderful the homemade crust was really going to be.  Like I said earlier, it's worth every ounce of effort you put into it! ;)   I'll post a picture later... if I can get one! :)

Picture posted at 7:35 pm... and the final grade is M... as in mmmmmmmmmm good! :)