Rustic Apple Crostata

Here is the perfect dessert for the upcoming holidays!

Homemade rustic crostata with sweet and juicy apples, a dash of cinnamon, over a buttery and flaky crust. 

Good morning!! Before I start telling you all about this delicious apple crostata recipe, I'd like to remind you that today is the last day to enter for your chance to win a $100 Visa gift card. You can enter for free and it's super easy. So make sure to check it out before it's too late!  The entry instructions are at the bottom of my Chocolate Candy Cookie Bars recipe. Thank you so much  MASTERCHEF JR on FOX and SheKnows Media for this opportunity :)

Now, let's talk dessert. And not just any dessert, but something easy, elegant and deliciously tasty. Something that you will be proud to bring at your dinner table these upcoming holidays. Something that everyone will love, and will hunt you for the recipe.
So how about this homemade crostata?!? Made with sweet and juicy apple slices, sprinkled with cinnamon and drizzled with lemon juice, over a buttery and flaky pie crust.  There is nothing more I need to add ... Or wait! Think about a just-out-of-the-oven slice of this heavenly dessert, served warm next to a melting scoop of vanilla ice-cream. Now I've said enough!
I can assure you that every bite of this dessert will be followed by lots of "mmmmm" little noises. Well, if you are sitting next to me, you'd hear that for sure :)

It goes without saying that I love apple desserts. This is my second recipe for the month. Remember my soft and moist apple cake? That's another easy and delicious recipe.
It's apple season right now, so why not take advantage of it? Because, let's face it, your dessert can only be as good as the apples that you are using! You can now find delicious apples. McIntosh and Pink Lady are some of my favorite, but also Granny Smith and Golden Delicious (easier to find all year round). Sweet, perfectly tart, juicy and oh-so flavorful.

What makes this recipe a winner is how easy, delicious and elegant it is. A beautiful and impressive looking rustic tart, as delicious as a traditional apple pie, just easier and quicker to prepare.  I made it from scratch, without using a food processor or a mixer. You are welcome to use these gadgets, and it will make the job a little faster for you. Everything you will need for this recipe is already in your kitchen. So, let's bake!!
Here is a video recipe for you:

See how easy it is?? So really, why wait for the holidays to bake this dessert, when you can make any day special with this apple crostata?!?

Enjoy :)

Ingredients: to make a 10 inch (25 cm) tart, serves about 8                  

PRINTABLE RECIPE

For the crust:

• 1 and 2/3 cups (250 gr) of all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (50 gr) of corn meal
• 3 tablespoons (45 gr) of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• grated zest of one lemon (organic)
• 1 and 1/2 sticks (6 oz, 170 gr) of unsalted butter, chilled
• about 6 tablespoons (85 ml ) of chilled  water

For the filling:

• 1/4 cup (50 gr) sugar
• 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, plus a bit to sprinkle on top (optional)
• 3 large apples, about  1.5 lb (680 gr) - I used  McIntosh but you can also use Pink Lady, Granny Smith or your favorite.
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, about the juice of one medium lemon
• 3 tablespoons of butter, melted
• 1 beaten egg, for glaze (or milk if you prefer)
• sugar crystals for decoration

Preparation time: about 90 minutes
Directions:

1. Let's start by preparing the crust. Combine the flour, the cornmeal, the sugar, salt and lemon zest in a large bowl.

2. Add the butter, and using the tip of a knife, cut the butter and reduce it to small (pea-size) pieces or as small as you can. If you have a processor, the job is a lot faster. Pulse only for a few seconds. Do not over mix.

3. Add 4 tablespoons of water. Mix with a spoon at first (your fingers next if necessary) until the dough comes together. Add one or two more tablespoons of water if needed. I used about 6 tablespoons total (85 ml) but that can vary.

4. Move the mixture to a large piece of plastic wrap. Make it into a ball. Wrap it in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for at least half  hour, or while you prepare the stuffing. You can also prepare the dough a day ahead and leave it in the refrigerator overnight.

5. Preheat the oven to 400º F (205º C) while you prepare the filling. In a bowl mix the sugar with the cornstarch and the cinnamon. Peel, core and cut the apple in slices. Add the apple slices to the bowl. Mix and add the lemon juice and the melted butter. Coat all the slices with the mixture.

6. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle the top with flour, and turn the dough often to make sure it doesn't stick to the counter. Roll to about a 14 inch (36 cm) circle (diameter). Place it on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper, helping yourself with your rolling pin.

7. Distribute the apple slices on the dough. Leave an edge of about 1.5 inches. You can place the slices neatly like in my picture. Or just dump them all on the crust and distribute evenly.  Brush the inside edge with the beaten egg.

8. Fold the edge over the fruit as shown in my picture. If the dough breaks at any point, don't worry! Pinch the dough to seal.

9. Brush the border (outer part now) with more of the beaten egg. Sprinkle with sugar crystals and more cinnamon if you wish.

10. Bake at 400º F (205º C) for about 40 minutes until golden on top. Let the crostata cool a little bit before cutting. Serve at room temperature, or warm ... and how about  with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream?!

Delicious!!

Homemade Braided Cinnamon-Raisin Bread

Make your breakfast sweet and soft with this braided cinnamon and raisin bread. 

A great way to start your day!

Start your day off right with these sweet and delicious cinnamon raisin braids.  Breakfast after all is the most important meal of the day, so let's make it special.
With a busy day coming up and after many hours of not eating, our body needs a nutritious breakfast to jump-start our metabolism and get us moving. Also, the way you start your morning can affect the rest of your day. So here is what you should do: sit back, relax (even if it's only for 5 minutes) and enjoy one of these pillowy-soft, sweet treats, next to a hot and steamy cappuccino. You will thank me later :-)
There are many variables that influences the way bread dough rises, like the temperature of the room or the temperature of the ingredients, the amount of time spent on kneading, or, obviously the order in which you mix the ingredients. So, making bread can be quite tricky, especially when the bread is not plain and many ingredients are added. I experimented with many recipes, and finally found a foolproof way for the dough to rise and make a perfectly soft sweet bread. In this recipe you first only mix and knead together the flour, yeast and milk. Let rest and rise for a couple of hours. Then mix the rest of the ingredients, knead again, and let rise for 2 more hours. It takes a little more work, but it's worth it!
I baked these cinnamon and raisin braids using my new extra-large silicone baking mat from Kitchen Executive Chef. These mats are great: no greasing, no sticking and are very easy to clean. And in this large, 17x14 inches format, I can fit lots of bread rolls or cookies at once.
So, here is something special for you today. You can enter below for a chance to win a set of this silicone baking mats. You can choose from two convenient, large sizes. Many thanks to Kitchen Executive Chef. Good luck!

This giveaway ends at 12:00 pm on Tuesday, February 10. Get your entries now. Bookmark this page and come back for extra entries. It is open to US residents, 18+ only.
You can also buy these mats on Amazon.com. And special for you today, use code 3UV37XAR at check out to receive a 30% off your purchase. Here is the link:


Ingredients: serving 8

• 2 cups (300 gr) of bread flour, plus a few tablespoons for the counter
• 1 tablespoon (12 gr) of dry yeast
• 1 cup (250 ml) of milk, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup (half stick - 55 gr)of unsalted butter
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon (4 gr) of salt
• 1/4 cup (50 gr) sugar, plus around 2 tablespoons for sprinkling on top of the bread
• 1/4 cup (40 gr) raisins
• ground cinnamon to sprinkle on top

Preparation time: One hour, plus 4 hours inactive
Directions:
1. Warm up the milk slightly in the microwave, especially if it's cold out of the refrigerator. Set the microwave for about 20 seconds. Dissolve the yeast in the milk, whisking well.

2. In a large bowl, add the flour and the milk with the yeast. Mix well using a spoon at first, and then your finger next. When the dough comes together, move it to a clean counter and knead until the dough is soft and elastic. Add a tablespoon of milk if the dough is too hard to knead, or a bit of flour if too sticky.

3. Shape into a ball, and place it back in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Place in the oven (turned off) for at least two hours.

4. Melt the butter in the microwave. Set the timer for only 15 seconds, stir, and then another 15 seconds. Let the butter cool down. Add the melted butter, the egg, salt, and sugar to the dough. Mix with a spoon (or your finger if it helps). It will take a bit of work, but the dough will go back to be smooth and uniform. Softer than before. Cover again, and let it rise for another couple of hours.

5. Add the raisins to the dough. Make sure you sprinkle some at the time around the dough, so that they don't end up all in the same spot.

6. On a floured counter, cut the dough in 8 equal parts. Roll each into a thick rectangle. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar and ground cinnamon. Cut the rectangle lengthwise in half, but not all the way to the end. As shown in the picture, twist the two ropes twice. Pinch the end to seal. Place on a baking sheet covered with a baking silicone mat (or parchment paper). Repeat with all pieces.

7. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the sweet bread for 16-18 minutes, until rich golden on top.

 Enjoy!