Coconut Apple Betty

My grandmother used to bake this when I was little. It's one of my all-time favorite apple desserts, and it always brings back fond memories. Of course it's never quite as good as hers used to be. But I keep trying!

4 tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut and 2 Tsp for sprinkling on top
1 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
4 Tsp butter
1/2 cup water (you can add a little more if the apples look dry)
2 T Cointreau

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix all the ingredients together except the butter, water and Cointreau. Put the apple mixture in a Pyrex or ceramic baking dish (approximately 8 in. x 10 in.)
Dot with butter and sprinkle the remaining 2 Tsp of coconut on top. Pour the water and Cointreau over the apples.
Bake uncovered for about 50 mins.
It's absolutely delicious served with whipped cream. Let me know how you like it!

Swedish Apple Crumb Pie

5 or 6 apples, peeled and sliced

1 T sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

2 T Cointreau

2 T lemon juice

4 oz (one stick) butter,melted

1 egg

1 C flour

1/4 c multi-grain cereal

1/3/ cup white sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

Put the sliced apples in a Pyrex baking dish. Pour the Cointreau and lemon juice over the apples and stir gently to mix. Then sprinkle one tablespoon of sugar and one teaspoon of cinnamon on top of the apples.

Melt the butter and mix in the egg. Set aside.

In a separate bowl mix the flour, multi-grain cereal and salt.

Add the melted butter and egg to the flour mixture, and blend until smooth.

Spoon the topping over the apples. You don’t have to be super neat, and where there are gaps in the batter the apples peep through.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake for another 30 minutes.

Serve with cream, Greek yogurt or my all-time favourite Bird’s custard!

The dessert is just about ready to pop into the oven!

All this needs now is a good splash of custard!

Pear Clafouti

Based on a recipe by the Barefoot Contessa

"This is delicious with its delicate custard, and looks beautiful when it comes out of the oven, all puffed up with pears popping out of the top!"

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

6 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups light or heavy or cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons Cointreau

4 ripe pears

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Butter the inside of a 10 inch round Pyrex baking dish, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar.
3. Beat the eggs and the remaining sugar until light and fluffy. Then mix in the flour, cream, vanilla extract, lemon zest, salt, and Cointreau. Put the custard mixture aside for 10 minutes or so.
4. Meanwhile peel, halve, core, and slice the pears and arrange them in the baking dish. Pour the batter over the pears and bake until the top is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.