Fruit drop cookies unusual but delicious
Mother Nature has continued to keep area farmers guessing this season.
Green Bluff farms were still offering peaches for the picking as late as last weekend, when orchards usually have long ago moved on to harvesting apples.
A variety of apples are now ready for picking (or buy them picked) at most farms. The Green Bluff growers will host the annual Apple Festival for the next few weekends and then it will give way to the Harvest Festival.
At Hidden Acres at Green Bluff, Karene Simchuck says they also have pears and corn in addition to apples. She shared a recipe for an unusual recipe for apples. She says Coffee Fruit Drops the (recipe follows) are really good.
“It’s my favorite cookie recipe,” she says.
Hidden Acres, 16802 N. Applewood Lane, off Day Road at Green Bluff, also offers jams and apple butter made at the farm. They are open festival weekends from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The phone number is (509) 238-2830.
Anne Wellens, of Wellens’ Luscious Fruit and Antiques, says when they serve Fresh Apple Bundt Cake samples at the farm, people often try to buy the whole thing.
“It’s very simple and it uses fresh apples,” she says. “People go crazy about it.”
Wellens says they’ll be open for the next four weekends for the Apple Festival. They’re open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. The orchard is at 16420 N. Sands Road. For more information, call (509) 238-6978.
Coffee Fruit Drops
From Karene Simchuck, Hidden Acres, Green Bluff
2 cups peeled and finely chopped apples
1 cup strong coffee or 1 tablespoon instant coffee dissolved in 1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup raisins
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon cloves
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts
Cook apples, coffee, sugar, shortening, raisins and spices in a saucepan gently until apples are tender. Remove from heat and cool. Add vanilla to cooled mixture. Blend together flour, baking soda and salt. Stir into apple mixture. Add nuts. Drop by heaping teaspoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Yield: About 24 cookies
Approximate nutrition per serving: 168 calories, 7.6 grams fat (1 gram saturated, 39 percent fat calories), 2 grams protein, 24 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 1 gram dietary fiber, 78 milligrams sodium.
Fresh Apple Bundt Cake
From Anne Wellens, Wellens’ Luscious Fruit and Antiques, Green Bluff
4 cups small diced apples (Jonathan, McIntosh or any tart, sweet cooking apple)
2 large eggs, unbeaten
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts
For the glaze:
1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons softened butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons light cream or whole milk
Butter and lightly flour a Bundt pan. In a large bowl, mix together apples and egg.
In a separate bowl, combine sugar, oil, vanilla, flour, baking soda, cinnamon and walnuts. Add to diced apple and eggs.
Pour into Bundt pan and bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 1 hour. Test with wooden pick to be sure center is done.
Cool in pan 10 minutes. Invert onto plate after cooled’ drizzle glaze over top, letting it run down sides in rivulets.
To make the glaze, combine sugar, butter, vanilla and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the cream in a small bowl. Beat with wooden spoon until mixture is smooth. If thinner glaze is desired add remaining 1/2 tablespoon cream.
This is a very rich cake and will serve 12 to 14 people generously.
Yield: 12 to 14 servings
Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 14: 388 calories, 16 grams fat (2.3 grams saturated, 35 percent fat calories), 5 grams protein, 59 grams carbohydrate, 36 milligrams cholesterol, 2 grams dietary fiber, 207 milligrams sodium.