With the Royal Wedding days away, women's thoughts are turning to Princes. Recently a new prince has come to town …and he's all mine, ladies.
Actually, he can be yours too – this one's not really a settling-down, one-woman kind of Prince.
The Red Prince Apple is relatively new, having first appeared in 1994 in Holland. A cross between a Golden Delicious and a Red Jonathan, it is now planted and grown in Thornbury, Ontario. This apple is harvested in the fall, and is apparently quite tart when picked. But according to rumours, the handsome Red Prince ages well (don't we all) and is one of the few varieties of apple with a rich flavour that peaks after months of storage.
When I was asked to write about this princely produce, I contemplated the upcoming royal nuptials, day dreaming for a bit about what it might be like to marry a Prince and how might I get along with my fictional in-laws… Does the Queen do spa days? Would Prince Charles come to a Hamilton family picnic and play flag football? Could I sit and drink coffee with Prince Philip and talk about his health and hockey? Then reality struck and I realized I am no closer to marrying a prince now than I was this morning when I wiped oatmeal off my shoe and dashed to work.
These apples are a magnificent (and majestic) red on the outside – you'd think after months of storage that vibrant colour would fade, but it's perfect. You bite into the fruit and it releases a loud crunch, leading to bright white flesh and then a slightly sweet, mildly tangy flavour. I wondered about how to use it in cooking or baking. I went onto the Red Prince website and when I got there, I got lost in delirious thoughts of apple recipes (apples just happen to be my favourite fruit).
The recipes on the site are a little bit out of the ordinary, and they have quite a "ceremonial flair" to them – which I find irresistible. They have recipes there for Red Prince Apple Gem Scones with Clotted Cream, Regal Tea Sandwiches (with apple and rich cambozola cheese), Red Prince Apple Stuffed Cornish Hens and oh yes, please do not allow me to forget about the Gilded Caramel Red Prince Apple Butter Truffles. I'm extremely interested in that last recipe, which I definitely plan to make (who doesn't adore the idea of bite-sized chocolate covered caramel apples?).
They also have some really good tips for snacks that incorporate apples (since apples are a good source of vitamin C and other antioxidants and an excellent source of dietary fibre). These snacks are also very straightforward to put together and would be a great afternoon pick-me-up instead of the usually reached-for cookie or candy. Ultimately, who could easily resist a Red Prince Smoothie, or a few sweet, petite Regal Apple Triangles, or even a conveniently portable handful of Regal Trail Mix (which is, I'm certain, what the Queen eats when she feels just slightly peckish)…?
Yes, I believe that no matter the comings and goings of THE Royal Family, this particular Prince is here to stay. And this princess is enjoying having just a little bit more royalty in her life.
And so you can have some royalty in yours, here are two recipes you can try at home.
Red Prince Apple Gem Scones with Clotted Cream
The Red Prince apples used in these scones make for a light and moist biscuit. Paired with clotted cream, a traditional English spread, these Red Prince Apple Gem Scones are the perfect treat to serve at a mid-day bridal shower or afternoon tea party.
Ingredients:
2 Red Prince apples, cored and finely diced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
¼ teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
½ cup salted butter, frozen
demerara sugar for sprinkling (optional)
clotted cream for serving
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 F. In a medium-sized bowl, combine apples with lemon, sugar and cinnamon and allow to sit. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and baking powder, set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine milk and apple cider vinegar; let sit for a few minutes. Grate frozen butter and add to flour mixture, stirring to combine.
3. Drain any liquid from the apple-lemon-sugar mix and mix into flour and butter to coat. Pour milk into dry ingredients mixing with a fork until just combined being careful not to overwork the dough.
4. Roll dough to 1-inch (2.5 cm) thickness and with a cookie cutter cut into 1 ½” (3.5 cm) rounds. Sprinkle with demerara sugar (if desired) and bake for 15 minutes or until bottoms are light golden brown.
5. Serve with clotted cream and good quality tea and/or coffee.
Makes 25 scones.
Gilded Caramel Red Prince Apple Butter Truffles
Red Prince apple butter, enrobed in rich dark chocolate and topped with edible gold flakes create for a regal indulgence with these Gilded Caramel Red Prince Apple Truffles. Add a dash of royalty to your wedding by serving these majestic morsels for dessert or sending each guest home with a party favour.
Ingredients:
3 cups Red Prince apples, cored, peeled and finely diced
3 tablespoons salted butter
½ cup sugar
juice of ½ a lemon
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 ½ cups dark chocolate melting wafers (available at bulk food stores or specialty stores)
24 Karat gold leaf or edible gold dust (available at specialty cake decorating stores)
1. In a large heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat melt butter and sugar. Once melted, reduce heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Let cook until the sugar caramelizes and turns golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Immediately add diced Red Prince apples, lemon juice and cinnamon. Continue cooking for 20 minutes until most of the apples have cooked down and appear translucent.
2. Transfer mixture to a blender or food processor and blend to form a smooth paste. Place into fridge or freezer for 1/2 hour or until cool enough to handle.
3. Using your hands, roll 1 tsp (5 ml) caramel apple filling into a ball then place on a parchment lined baking sheet or tray. Continue rolling with remaining filling and then place apple balls into the freezer for approximately 30 to 45 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. Using 2 forks or a dipping tool, gently roll 1 apple ball into chocolate and remove while tapping against bowl to drain excess chocolate. Place truffle back onto baking sheet and repeat steps with remaining apple balls.
5. Place truffles into fridge to set, about 1/2 hr. Brush tops with gold leaf or gold dust to finish.
Makes 18 to 20 truffles. Truffles will keep refrigerated for up to a week.
Source: www.redprinceapple.ca
This blog is proudly sponsored by our friends at Red Prince Apple
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