I have really been on a binge-reading kick the last couple weeks. I finished five books in a three week span, including all three of Kevin Kwan's novels in the Crazy Rich Asians series. These books are over the top but pretty interesting, with multiple storylines being covered throughout the whole series that intertwine often but are distinctly unique. I am currently looking for new book suggestions, so please comment any ones you have been reading lately!
Now, what do my reading habits have to do with food? Pretty much nothing, except that reading does not stop me from eating, and does not stop me from craving desserts. However, reading can sometimes take away the amount of time I have to cook, so it makes me come up with unique solutions to find shortcut ways of making delicious food. One day I was reading most of the day, and then at night was craving a dessert, but it was already getting late and I didn't want to wait an hour or two to make food. I also did not want to go to the store and buy ingredients, as that would take longer, and I didn't want to leave the house.
Goal: find a way to make dessert with the things I have on hand in the house. Solution: baked apple dessert using refrigerated crescent roll dough! My baked apple dessert was inspired by apple pie or an apple turnover, but using shortcuts to make this dessert within a half hour and using ingredients that were already in my kitchen. While this isn't particularly fancy, it was super tasty (but how could it not be with dough, apples and sugar?). Let me tell you how I made it!
Baked Apple Dessert
Ingredients
1 package refrigerated crescent dough
1 Granny Smith apple
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 TBSP powdered sugar
Non-dairy milk, less than 1/2 tsp
Preheat the oven to 350.
Wash, core, and dice one Granny Smith apple. Apple chunks do not need to be super small, but small enough to eat in the baked dough.
In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the apple chunks and coat in the butter. Let cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add in the cinnamon, brown sugar and vanilla. Stir and cook until apples are slightly tender, about 5-6 minutes.
Take the crescent roll dough and using a rolling pin to roll it a bit thinner than it is out of the package. Roll into into a large rectangle, and then transfer the dough onto a baking sheet.
Spoon the apple mixture onto one half of the dough, then fold the other half over and pinch the edges of the dough closed with a fork. Poke small holes in the top of the dough with the fork to allow steam to escape while baking.
Allow dessert to bake in the oven until the top is golden brown, about 15 minutes.
While the dessert is baking, make the icing. Combine the powdered sugar with a drop of nondairy milk and stir. This should take less than 1/2 tsp of milk, so add the milk in very small increments and stir until you reach a desired consistency. Icing should coat the back of the spoon but drip off at a quick pace when you lift the spoon from the bowl you are stirring it in.
Once the dessert is golden brown, remove it from the oven. Drizzle with the icing. Dessert may be eaten hot, or cooled to room temperature.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple days (if there is any left!), but dough may get soggy.
I hope this apple dessert can come in handy the next time you have unexpected dinner guests or if you just really crave dessert, but don't want to bake for hours.
Remember to drop book suggestions in the comments!
Have a wonderful week,
-t
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