Love the holidays: It’s beginning to smell like Christmas

Just about the only time of year I like baking is at Christmas.  I don't have much of a sweet tooth, and baking calls for following recipes - something I really don't do.  However, there is something about a house full cinnamon and sugar that wakes up my holiday spirit. To really get into it, I’ll turn on the Christmas lights, put on some Christmas tunes, and get the delicious smells of Christmas started with some stovetop mulled spices.

WhileI learned about filling the home with warm and comfortable scents from my mother – she would brew a pot of coffee on Sunday mornings despite the fact that nobody in the house drank it -- I learned about mulling spices from my grandmother. To this day, I don’t know her exact recipe, but I’m happy to share my own. 

Stovetop mulled spices
In a very small pot, pour in ¼ cup each of water, orange juice, and cranberry juice. Add two sticks of cinnamon, a dash or two of nutmeg, several cloves, one vanilla bean and a teaspoon of sugar. Dried oranges are also a wonderful addition.  Keep warm on your stovetop on the coolest setting, adding water from time to time as the liquid cooks off. The pot can be kept on a back burner over the pilot light for days and will keep the house smelling wonderful!

My favourite pie to bake (and eat) growing up was apple pie. I love making it because you don’t really have to follow a recipe very closely, and it just tastes so fresh. It’s usually considered a summer pie, served warm with a big scoop of Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla ice cream dripping off the sides. It’s a deliciously golden two crust pie, with tart apples and very little sugar to let the apples shine through. However, amping up the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, and adding a rich crumble topping and some cranberries can make apple pie perfect for the holidays. I’ve transformed the traditional American Apple pie recipe into an indulgent holiday treat. I’ve opted to go for individual mini pies, as this version is a bit gooier, and far too sweet for a full slice! (Or maybe not!)

Holiday Apple Pie
Of course, you have to make a decision on pie crust. Do I want flour all over me and my kitchen? Whether homemade or store bought is up to you. I’ll not bore you with the crust recipe here, as it’s not really the star of this show! This pie has a bottom crust and a crumble topping.

I start with about 3 – 4 cups of thinly sliced peeled and cored apples. Granny Smith apples are best, as they are quite firm, and their tartness balances the sugar. Typically, I will soak them in cold water and lemon juice to keep them crisp and from turning brown. For the Christmas version, I opted for the juice of two oranges instead of lemon juice. Squeeze the oranges into a large bowl, fill with water, and as you slice, add your apples. Soak in the fridge for about an hour.

It’s at this time, that I make my pie crust, and arrange it in little individual pie tins. It’s more work than making one big pie, but you’ve got time – the apples have to soak anyway! Pinch the edges of the crusts for a pretty finish.

For the pie mixture, combine 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, and a dash of nutmeg in a small bowl. Drain your apples, and dry out the bowl they’ve been soaking in. Alternating small amounts of apples and flour mixture at a time, transfer all of the apples and dry mix to the large bowl. Mix well.

For Holiday Apple Pie, I’ve added fresh cranberries. You’ll need only about 1 cup of fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped. Careful as you chop them – those little guys will shoot out from under your knife if you’re not watching! Best to use a very sharp knife for this, but again, please be careful!

The crumble topping is made by using 2 cups flour, 1 cup loosely packed brown sugar, and 1 cup of unsalted butter, cut into small cubes. I find it’s easiest to work if the butter isn’t too soft.

Combine the dry ingredients, wash your hands, and dig in! With your fingers, cut in the butter until the entire mixture resembles crumbles smaller than peas. If you’ve just had a manicure, or if you have one, a pastry blade on your mixer will also work. I personally prefer the finger method, as you can control how and what is mixed and to what extent. Don’t worry – it will wash off!

Now for the fun part! Time to fill the pies.

Place a large spoonful of apple mixture in the bottom of your pie tin. If your apples have stayed really crisp, you can arrange them in a pretty little fanned circle. Add a small handful of cranberries, a dab of butter, and cover with more apple mix. You’ll want the apple mix to be heaping up above the rim of the tin. Don’t be afraid to make a proper mound of apples. They will cook down more than you expect. Add a few more cranberries to the beautiful peak of apples you’ve just created and top it with another dab of butter (it's the holidays, right?)

Generously top it all with the crumble mixture. The more you add, the more butter you’ll need in your crumble. Top with a little arrangement of chopped cranberries – purely for aesthetics of course! Give it light sprinkling of granulated sugar which will caramelise, and give it a crunchy topping!

Place pies on a cookie sheet and bake at 450F (220c) for about 10 minutes, and then reduce heat to 325F (180c) for about 20 minutes or until your crumble has crumbled, and your crust has browned.

The cookie sheet is critical for a number of reasons. 1. It’s a lot easier to take 8 mini pies out of the oven at once rather than one at a time. 2. Fruit pies are notoriously messy and will very likely overrun the sides and 3. Cranberries like to explode and contribute to the mess referred to in number 2!

When the pies are done, please let them cool for at least an hour before digging in. I know you’ll be tempted, but they will be extremely hot, and if you burn your tongue, you won’t be able to taste them at all!

Serve warm with a dollop of fresh whipped cream. 1 small container of whipping cream, combined with 2 T powdered sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon – whipped until fluffy enough to form light peaks. Don’t whip too long or it will become hard and not as nice.

Dig in on a cold December night and let the holidays in to all of your senses!

Merry Christmas and enjoy!!