APPLE PIE BITES with Almond Streusel & APPLE PIE PANCAKES

APPLE PIE BITES with ALMOND STREUSEL

Yield = 36 mini pies; [18 servings (2 mini 2-inch pies per person)]; Prep: 20 mins; Inactive: 1 hr; Cook: 45 mins (15 mins stove, plus 30 mins oven)

We were invited to a potluck celebration for the 4^th of July and our good friend made a request for me to make Apple Pie.  Personally, I am not the biggest fan of pie, so to please our friend (and myself) I came up with the following recipe for bite-sized mini apple pies.  There is quite a bit of labor involved, but these travel well and are great at room temperature.  They did NOT last long at the potluck!  Hooray!  –TC 

Special Equipment: 

3 mini muffin tins* (12 molds per tin), *You may also use regular sized muffin tin with 12 molds;

I estimate you’ll get about 12 pies about 2 inches high --TC

rolling pin or straight sided glass
biscuit cutter  or straight sided glass with opening slightly larger than your muffin molds

Apple Pie Filling:

3 TBSP butter *I used 3 TBSP light unsalted butter --TC
3 TBSP brown sugar, packed  
2 large apples (about 1 lb.), cored, peeled, and cut into a medium dice *I used Fuji apples this time --TC
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg *I used about 10 scratches of fresh nutmeg --TC
1 (21 oz) can Apple Pie Filling *I used ‘Comstock Pie Filling & Topping’ --TC
Non-stick spray
1 (14.1 oz.) pkg. Pillsbury Pie Crusts (2 rolled out pie crusts in package)

Almond Streusel Topping:

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3 TBSP all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg *I used about 10 scratches of fresh nutmeg --TC
pinch kosher salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted & chopped optional

Pie Filling:  In a small sauté pan, melt the butter and brown sugar.  Add fresh diced apple and sauté until they begin to soften and most of their liquid has evaporated.  Add cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg; sauté 2 to 3 minutes longer.  Set aside and allow mixture to cool a bit. 

Using kitchen scissors cut canned apples into smaller pieces – about the same size as your diced apple. Stir the cooled sautéed apples into the pie filling (the now smaller apple pieces and all the filling).

Streusel topping:  In a medium bowl, mix the first 6 streusel ingredients.  With a fork, two knives or a hand-held pastry blender, cut in the butter until ‘small peas’ are formed with the butter and other ingredients.  Blend in the almonds.  Cover and place into the refrigerator until needed.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Generously spray your muffin tins with non-stick spray.  Set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll our pie crust a little thinner.  Using a biscuit cutter (or a glass) dipped in flour, cut circles about 3/4"-inch larger than the diameter of your muffin molds.  Take each round of dough, gently bring four sides together in the middle (somewhat like a ‘flower’) and place center of dough into the muffin mold.  Tenderly press the ‘petals’ out to the sides of the mold.  It is OK if the dough overlaps a bit on the sides.  [Think: rustic = homemade!]  Repeat with all dough circles.  Place tin into the refrigerator while you prepare the rest of the dough.

Fill shells:  With a heaping teaspoon (if using mini muffin molds), add apple filling to prepared dough molds.  Repeat with the rest of the molds.  Add a generous amount (approximately ½ tsp) of Almond Streusel to the top of each mini pie.  Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until the filling is hot and bubbly and the bottom of the crust is golden brown.

Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes.  Remove each mini pie to a cooling rack.  Cool 10 minutes more and serve immediately. 

If wanting to use for a later date, cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.  To freeze at this point, place pie bites on a sheet pan until frozen, and then transfer to a freezer proof dish, layering parchment paper or waxed paper between layers of mini pies.  Freeze up to 1 month; allow to thaw a few hours in the refrigerator prior to re-heating.

To reheat:  Place on a microwave safe dish and reheat for 10 seconds at 70% power.  Depending on your microwave, you may need a little more time to heat your treat.  (Be careful, inside can get insanely HOT!)  Enjoy with ice cream and/or whipped cream if desired.  I have mine as is with a nice hot cup of coffee!    –Courtesy Sabryna Roberson, The Traveling Culiarian – July 2012.

APPLE PIE PANCAKES with ALMOND STREUSEL                        

Yield = 6 servings (about 12 3-inch pancakes); Prep: 5 mins; Cook: 20 mins oven

“Pancake Saturday” is a weekly tradition in our family.  I had some leftover pie filling and streusel topping from my Apple Pie Bites, so my husband & I made this week’s pancakes All-American!  –TC 

1 3/4 cup Trader Joe’s Buttermilk Pancake & Baking Mix
1 egg
1 cup water
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup apple pie filling (leftover from APPLE PIE BITES with ALMOND STREUSEL recipe above)
1 batch almond streusel (see recipe above APPLE PIE BITES with ALMOND STREUSEL)
3 TBSP butter or non-stick spray

Preheat your griddle (electric or stove top) to medium-high.  (While cooking, adjust the heat down to medium if necessary.)

In a large measuring cup mix the first 4 ingredients until just moistened.  Fold in the apple pie filling.

Spoon batter onto a buttered or sprayed HOT griddle; sprinkle batter with almond streusel topping. Once bubbles form and pop on the top of the pancakes, gently flip them over and cook until lightly browned on other side.  Serve immediately.   

*Tip:  You may wish to wipe your griddle clean prior to each batch of pancakes, as the Streusel Topping may burn…  –Courtesy Sabryna Roberson, The Traveling Culiarian – July 2012.