Apple and Honey Dumplings

I first shared this story and recipe with The Nosher in 2023.

Old-fashioned apple dumplings are made with peeled and cored-out apples that get encased in pastry or biscuit crust and are baked until golden and tender. This dessert has remained popular in the United States for hundreds of years, from New England to the deep South.

The concept of delicate dough plus apples can also be found in the Czech Republic, where the dumplings are also sometimes made with whole plums or apricots. In Germany and Ukraine, you might find apple dumplings that are made with dough that is simmered instead of baked. A dumpling is still a dumpling whether it’s baked or boiled, and a dumpling is universally loved across cultures and countries.

These apple dumplings work best with very small, tart firm varieties like Granny Smith or Winesap. The flavor of the apple deepens as it becomes fork-tender in its buttery blanket of dough, and it’s sweetened by a honey sauce that can be whisked together in minutes. Best of all, this dessert serves a crowd of eight, can be made up to two days ahead, and can be easily reheated when you’re ready to serve. 

Apple & Honey Dumplings 
Serves 8

Prep time:15-30 minutes
Cook time: 55-60 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients
For the dumplings:
8 small, chilled apples, 100-130 g each (Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp or an heirloom apple)
4 tsps unsalted butter or plant-based butter
2 tsps cinnamon
2 9” pie crusts, store bought or from scratch (recipe attached)

For the sauce:
1 cup water
½ cup honey 
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ tsp salt

For the double crust pie dough (optional):
2½ cups (340 g) all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup (225 g) cold butter, cubed
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
5-6 Tbps ice water

Directions:
Start by making the pastry (optional, if using store-bought pie crust skip to Direction 4). In a food processor: pulse the flour, sugar and salt together. Add the cubed cold butter and pulse until pea-sized crumbs form. Add the apple cider vinegar and 5 Tbsp ice water and pulse, it will look a little bit crumbly at first and then as you pulse it will begin to form into a ball. If it doesn’t clump together easily, add another Tbsp water, or as needed. Be careful not to overmix and once it forms a bowl, transfer it out of the processor and divide into two equal-sized pieces.

By hand: whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the cubed cold butter and combine with the flour with a pastry cutter or by hand until pea-sized crumbs of dough form. Add the apple cider vinegar and ice water and incorporate quickly with your hands until a ball of dough is formed. Be careful not to overmix. Once the ball is formed, divide the dough into two equal-sized pieces. 

Form each piece of dough into a square shape, and tightly cover with plastic wrap or a beeswax wrap. Allow the dough to chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight before using. 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13” baking dish.

Peel and core your cold apples; it is easier to wrap the dough around the apple if they are chilled as opposed to at room temperature. 

Roll out one piece of dough into a large, thin 12x12” square. Divide the dough into 4 even-sized 6x6” squares. Repeat the process with the second piece of dough.

Place a cored apple upright into the center of each square. Add a ½ tsp of butter to the center of the apple. Sprinkle the tops of the apple with cinnamon, about ¼ teaspoon per apple. Bring the corners of the dough up and over the apple, firmly pressing the edges together to fully encase the dough. If there are any scraps of dough, shape them into leaf shapes to decoratively top the dumplings. 

Place the apple dumplings into the greased baking dish, and bake for 30 minutes.

While the apple dumplings are baking, make the sauce by combining the water, honey, sugar, and salt in a small pan. Bring to a simmer, and simmer until sugar is fully dissolved, about 3-4 minutes. 

Pour the sauce over the apple dumplings, then place them back in the oven to bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown, and the apples are tender when tested with a skewer or thin knife. 

Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes, then serve warm or room temperature. 

To make ahead: Slightly underbake the dumplings for 10 minutes. Let them cool, then store covered with foil in the fridge. The next day, reheat them covered in foil for 10-15 minutes in a 350°F oven. Apple dumplings can be made up to 2 days in advance of serving. 

Apple & Honey Ruffle Milk Pie

Every now and again, you stumble upon a dish you can’t get enough of. Crinkle cakes and ruffle pies have gone viral for a reason, largely thanks to @ramenasaidwow’s viral TikTok crinkle cake. These kinds of desserts are fun and easy to make, stunning to look at, and incredibly delicious. You can find my full article about this recipe over at The Nosher!

Aside from the phyllo, this recipe requires only a few simple ingredients and no special equipment. You can whisk the custard together in a bowl, and form the pie in a standard cake pan or deep pie dish. This recipe can also be made dairy-free and pareve by substituting both butter and milk for plant-based alternatives. There’s just a hint of cinnamon for a little warmth, but if you’re a big fan of spice, you can double the amount. Apple and honey ruffle milk pie is best served warm or at room temperature the same day it is prepared, but it can last up to two days covered in the fridge. 

Apple & Honey Ruffle Milk Pie
Serves 8
Prep time: 20 minutes,
Baking time: 45-50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 10 large sheets of phyllo dough (13-14”x18”), thawed 

• 6 Tbsps butter, melted (or vegan butter)

• 2 large eggs 

• 1½ cups whole milk (or creamy non-dairy milk)

• ¼ cup light or dark brown sugar

• 2 Tbsps sugar

• 2 tsps vanilla extract

• ½ tsp kosher salt

• ¼ tsp cinnamon 

• 1 small apple or ½ medium apple, sliced very thin

For the syrup:

• ¼ cup honey

• ¼ cup water

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line and grease a 9” cake pan with parchment. Metal cake pans are best for this recipe, but you can also use a ceramic or glass deep dish pie pan, or a 9” springform pan. 

Make sure that your phyllo dough is fully thawed according to the package instructions. Phyllo dough dries out very quickly, and in order to prevent that, lightly dampen a clean kitchen towel. Unroll the dough, and lie it flat on a clean surface. Cover it with the damp towel to keep it from drying out. Take out one sheet of phyllo dough at a time, and keep the rest covered. Generously brush the sheet of phyllo with melted butter. Scrunch the dough lengthwise on either side towards the center, so that the buttered phyllo sheet forms a long fan-like ruffle of dough. Starting on one end, loosely spiral the dough into a coil; it will form a rose-like shape. Make sure not to coil the dough too tightly, you want ruffles and height in this pie. Place one spiral of dough into the center of the greased and lined 9” pan.

Continue the process and make a total of 9 more spirals of phyllo dough, or 10 in total. If you’re using smaller sheets of phyllo dough, you may need to add a few additional pieces of dough to fill the pan. Arrange the coiled sheets of phyllo into the pan, and make sure not to flatten any of the dough, adjust to fill out the pan as needed. If you have any leftover melted butter, brush it over the top of the phyllo spirals. 

Cut the apple on either side of the core, then thinly slice the apple into half-moon shapes, about ⅛” thick or less. Gently tuck in slices of apple between ruffles of phyllo dough. Make sure not to press down on the dough, and instead gently nestle in the apple. Use as many apples as desired, about 1 small apple, or half of a medium apple. 

Bake for 20 minutes and the phyllo dough will start to just slightly brown on top.

While it is in the oven prepare the custard. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, brown sugar, sugar, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon.

Once the pie has baked for 20 minutes, pour the custard evenly over the phyllo spirals. Bake for another 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and puffed up, and the custard has fully set.

While the pie is baking with the custard, prepare a honey syrup by combining the honey and water in a small pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes, or until a syrup has formed and the mixture has slightly thickened. 

While the pie is still hot, drizzle the honey syrup over it. Be careful to leave some golden brown ruffles untouched by honey, so that they remain extra crispy. Allow the pie to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Pie is best served at room temperature, and can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. If storing in the fridge, bring the pie up to room temperature before serving, or reheat for 10-15 minutes, covered, at 350°F. 

Garnish with powdered sugar or whipped cream if desired.

Apple Sharlotka (Apple Cake)

Apple Sharlotka is a popular Russian and Polish apple cake that is easy to prepare and requires only a handful of ingredients. This dessert is dense with apples, but the cake surrounding the fruit is light and airy.  

Sharlotka comes from a style of cake or trifle called “Charlotte Cakes,” which are typically made with ladyfingers or sponge cake. The first apple Sharlotka is credited to a French chef, who prepared it in honor of the wife of Tsar Alexander I of Russia. While early versions of Sharlotka were decadent and complicated, over time the cake has evolved into a simple treat that can be easily baked at home. My own Ukrainian grandmother made apple Sharlotka more than any other cake, likely due to the fact that it is as easy to make as it is comforting and delicious. Along with a few apples, the batter is made all in one bowl with eggs, sugar, flour, and vanilla. 

Apple Sharlotka is best made with sweet and tart Granny Smith apples, or an heirloom apple, like Winesap. When the cake comes out of the oven it will have a crisp and crackly crust on top that softens the longer it sits. Just before serving, shower the cake with powdered sugar for added sweetness on top. 

Apple Sharlotka

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

• 3-4 (1.5 lbs/680 g) medium apples, like Granny Smith

• juice of ½ a lemon

• 3 large eggs

• 1 cup (220 g) sugar 

• 2 tsps vanilla extract

• ¼ tsp salt

• 1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour (or sub with 1:1 gf flour)

• powdered sugar, as needed

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9” springform pan with parchment paper; you can also use e a 9” round or square baking pan for this recipe. 

Peel and core the apples. Cut the apples into 1” pieces, about ¼”-thick. Toss the apples in lemon juice, and then add them to the baking dish. 

In a large bowl using a hand mixer, or in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the eggs and sugar. Alternatively, you can beat the eggs and sugar by hand using a whisk. Beat until the eggs are pale, fluffy, and have doubled in size, about 3-4 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and beat for one more minute.

Sift in half of the flour and salt to the egg mixture, and fold the dry ingredients into the batter. Sift in the remaining flour and salt, and fold them in until they are just incorporated. Be careful to gently fold in the dry ingredients, and to not overmix the batter. 

Pour the batter over the apples in the baking dish. If needed, use a spatula or spoon to smooth the batter over the top so it evenly covers the apples.

Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden brown and firm on top, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for at least one hour prior to serving. 

Before serving, sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar. Sharlotka can be made a day in advance and stored covered at room temperature, the crust will soften as it sits. 

Instant Pot Georgian Pomegranate Chicken

For the full article, head over to The Nosher!

As documented by the queen of Jewish cooking, Joan Nathan, and by Georgian food guru, Carla Capalbo, the Georgian Jewish community traditionally makes chicken cooked in pomegranate juice for Rosh Hashanah. It’s a perfect recipe for the High Holidays: sweet, tart, flavorful, and eye-catching. This recipe is an adaptation from multiple recipes for this dish, but in any variation the chicken is braised in a generously-spiced, fruity pomegranate juice-based broth, and then topped with fresh red jewel-like pomegranate kernals.

The pomegranate juice adds expected sweetness, but there’s also an assertive and awakening tang that comes through, especially with the addition of tamarind and pomegranate molasses. The copious amounts of onion and garlic add deep levels of sweet and savory flavors to the dish. The coriander, hot pepper (not too hot), and thyme play off each other with their respective perfumy-ness, heat, and minty-ness. It is Rosh Hashanah, so a hint of honey makes its way into the pot to remind you of sweetness without being at the forefront of the show. After 15 minutes at high pressure, the chicken barely clings to its bones, and the sauce becomes rich with and fortified by the golden schmaltz left over from browning the chicken. Take the chicken out and let that liquid simmer (still in the Instant Pot), and the mahogany-colored sauce will thicken and become silky and as decedent as a festive meal demands. Once the chicken and sauce are plated, you shower them with the bright green fresh herbs and the glistening ruby red pomegranate. Dark meat works best for this, but you can certainly make it with white meat as well. And like all great holiday dishes, you can make this several days in advance and it only gets better when reheated. It also freezes well, just leave off the fresh garnish until right before serving. And yes, if you really don’t want to cave to culinary social pressure, you can make this recipe the old fashioned way.

Instant Pot Georgian Jewish Chicken in Pomegranate Juice

Serves 6-8 (recipe can be doubled)

• 12 whole chicken legs, or 6 bone-in thighs + 6 legs (about 4 lbs)
• Sunflower or avocado oil, as needed
• 3 medium red onions, halved and sliced thin
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced fine
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1½ teaspoons aleppo pepper, or ½ teaspoon red pepper flake, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 2 Tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 2 Tablespoons tamarind paste
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Arils/seeds of 1 whole pomegranate
• ½ bunch fresh cilantro or parlesy, for garnish
• Salt and pepper, as needed

Start by generously seasoning your chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.

Turn your Instant Pot or pressure cooker to the sauté setting, which should produce high heat for browning. If needed increase the heat to MORE or according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Once the pot is hot, add a drizzle of oil. Brown each piece of chicken until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Cook the chicken in batches so as not to crowd the pot and cause the chicken to steam instead of brown. On the stoevtop, brown the chicken in a large pot or Dutch oven on medium high heat. Once all of the chicken is browned, transfer it from the pot and reserve.

Next, add all of the onions to the same pot so that they can cook in the remaining chicken fat. If your chicken did not release very much oil, and another tablespoon or two of oil to the pot. Season the onions with salt and sauté for 5-6 minutes or until softened and starting to slightly brown. Add the garlic, coriander, and paprika to the pot and sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the tomato paste, and stir everything until the onion mixture is well coated in the tomato paste. Nestle the reserved browned chicken back into the pot. Press CANCEL to turn off the sauté function on the pot. Follow the same steps on a stovetop.

Add the pomegranate juice, pomegranate molasses, tamarind paste, honey, thyme and bay to the pot. Place the lid on the Instant Pot, close the pot and seal it. Press the POULTRY or MANUAL setting and set the time to 15 minutes. Let the steam naturally release for 10-15 minutes, and shift the valve to venting if more air needs to be released. On the stovetop, cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes on medium-low or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.

Press CANCEL, open the lid and transfer the chicken to a platter and lightly cover with foil to keep the chicken warm. Remove the bay leaf and thyme stems. Turn on the SAUTE function again. Allow the sauce to simmer and reduce by half, or until its reached your desired thickness. On the stovetop, turn the heat to medium-high and simmer.

Once the sauce has reduced and thickened, pour the sauce over the chicken. At this point you can keep dish warm in a low oven, or you can cool it and freeze if making in advance.

Just before serving, garnish the chicken with the fresh pomegranate and roughly chopped cilantro or parsley.