The last school bell has rung for the year. For many children, that means losing up to two meals a day. Free and reduced price meal programs in schools help parents struggling to make ends meet ensure their kids have enough to eat during the school year. Now those parents will be turning to their local food pantries to help fill the gap that the loss of two meals a day will cause.
No child should go hungry. Like you, H-E-B believes that every child should have enough nutritious food to eat. This summer, H-E-B will donate 1.5 million apples to 17 food banks across Texas, including Tarrant Area Food Bank.
To celebrate the load of apples we just received from this generous donation, we’ve included an Apple Financier with Spiced Apples and Caramel recipe given to us by Chef Monte Davis from Fort Worth’s Central Market.
Apple Financier with Spiced Apples and Caramel
Cake Batter
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter plus more for greasing the molds
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup almond flour or ground blanched almonds
1/4 cup cake flour plus extra for dusting
1 pinch kosher salt
4 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Place the butter in a sauce pan over medium low heat and slowly melt. Cook gently until the solids begin to brown and it begins to foam and smells nutty, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Sift confectioners’ sugar, almond flour, cake flour and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer with a whip attachment. Add egg whites and mix on low speed for 2 minutes to combine. While mixing, add vanilla extract and slowly add the cooled brown butter.
Blend until smooth, transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Rub ramekins with soft butter, dust with remaining cake flour and place on a sheet pan.
Transfer the batter to a pastry bag with a round tip and pipe into the prepared ramekins, filling just below the rim. Bake until the cakes are lightly golden brown and springy to the touch, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool in the ramekins for 2 minutes before inverting onto dessert plates.
Yields 4-8 small cakes, depending on the size of the ramekin
Sautéed Spiced Apples
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 firm, crisp apples, peeled, cored then small diced
2 tablespoons sugar
1 pinch kosher salt
1/4 cup apple brandy, such as Calvados
Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add the apples, tossing to coat. Sprinkle in the sugar and sauté the apples until they begin to soften slightly and the sugar begins to caramelize. Add the pinch of salt.
Add the apple brandy and continue to cook until the liquid has reduced and become syrupy then remove from the heat.
Caramel
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
1/2 cup heavy cream
Melt the butter in a 2-quart sauce pan over medium heat. When the foam subsides, stir in the sugar, lemon juice and nutmeg. Cook until the sugar melts and begins to caramelize into a copper colored syrup, 5-7 minutes. Remove from the heat and slowly stir in the heavy cream, a little at a time. STAND BACK, as the cream will bubble and create steam. Stir to combine and keep over low heat.
To assemble
Pour caramel on the plate in a puddle, place cake in puddle and top with apples.
You can be a hero to hungry kids. Instead of worrying about where their next meal will come from, children can be busy having fun this summer. Learn about the steps you can take to defeat hunger.
