RICHMOND, Va - David Hicks of BJ’s Wholesale Club returned to the studio with a great tasting Fall-inspired dessert featuring Wellsley Farms Apples. We indulged our sweet tooth with a tasty Cinnamon Apple Crostada topped with whipped cream. For more information you can visit online at www.bjs.com.
Ingredients
Crust
- Pillsbury™ refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box
Filling
- ½ cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 4 cups thinly sliced, peeled cooking apples (4 medium)
- 2 tablespoons chopped pecans or walnuts
Topping
- Whipped cream
Directions
- Heat oven to 450°F. Unroll pie crust on ungreased cookie sheet.
- In medium bowl, mix 1/2 cup of the sugar, the cornstarch and cinnamon. Gently stir in apples.
- Spoon apple mixture onto center of crust, spreading to within 2 inches of edge.
- Fold crust edge over filling to form 2-inch border, pleating crust as necessary. Brush crust edge with water; sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon sugar.
- Bake about 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Sprinkle pecans over apple mixture. Bake 5 to 15 minutes longer or until apples are tender. Serve with whipped cream.
Apple Facts
- In the hills and valleys of the Northeast, orchards feature the most diverse array of apple varieties. There is no need to pick your own apples, the best-tasting apples are BJ's Wholesale Club exclusive offering of nine varieties of Wellsley Farms apples harvested by the fourth generation, family-owned Hudson River Fruit, with orchards in New York and Vermont. Varieties include McIntosh, Gala, Cortland, Empire, Ginger Gold, Paula Red, Honeycrisp, Macoun and Red Delicious.
- Apple growers on farms nearest the stores/clubs where their fruit is sold can pick the apples when they’re ripe to eat. Sourcing fruit from the nearest orchard puts the sweetest apples on the shelves.
- Hills and mountains with high altitude climates such as those located in the Northeast are often less susceptible to apple-damaging late frosts than lowland sites.
- Northeast soil has different minerals, and composts than the West. Sunny days and cool nights along with the rich soil help to bring out the wonderful flavor and sweetness of the apples.
Arts and Crafts Instructions- Apple Greeting Cards
What You Need
Apple
Sharp knife
Generation Earth™ Paper Towels
Roselle Construction Paper
Acrylic paint from Art 101 Deluxe Wood Art Set
Sponge
Sharpie Fine Point Pen
Make It
- Cut an apple in half and place the apple stamp face down on a clean paper towel to dry out while prepping your paint and paper.
- Place the paper to be stamped on a clean, flat surface.
- Squeeze your choice of acrylic paint color onto a paper plate.
- Use a damp sponge to daub a consistent film of paint onto the flat-cut surface of the apple.
- Secure the paper with one hand, so it won’t shift, and use the other to place the paint-covered apple onto your paper and firmly press down.
- Carefully peel the paper away from the apple. As you peel it away, if you notice any thin spots in the stamp that you want to fill in, just place the apple back onto the impression. Using your fingertips, gently press the paper to spread paint onto those thin areas.
- After you removed the paper from the apple surface, let the print dry for about 30 minutes.
- When the stamping is done and the paint has dried, use a paintbrush or a Sharpie pen to add stems, leaves, seeds, text or whatever inspires you.
- Choose apples of different sizes and shapes to add character and whimsy to your design.
