What? I Can Eat the Whole Thing?

Remember when I said that everything tastes better in cute baby sizes?  That theory remains true after today's little baking project.  I decided to do a little test run on some individual apple pies that I wanted to make for a dinner party we are hosting next week.  They are baked in the apple itself!  Isn't that fantastic?  Cheap, easy, delicious, completely edible, and they look a lot fancier than they really are :) My perfect kind of dessert.

Here it goes...

Ingredients:

Filling:
8 medium apples
Dash of cinnamon 
1/2 cup sugar 
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 TBSP flour 
2 TBSP vanilla 
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

Pie Crust:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup corn starch

1 tbsp sugar

7 tbsp butter, cold

1 egg

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

Directions:
(20 minutes prep, 40 minutes baking)  Total time: 60 minutes

Step 1: Pre-heat oven to 370 degrees

Step 2:  Mix all the pie crust ingredients together.  Roll out the dough on a cutting board between two pieces of wax paper and place in the fridge while working on the apples.

Step 3: Clean the apple and pat dry.  Cut off a lid.  Using a sharp knife and a spoon, cut the inside of the apple out and scrape to make a bowl.

Step 4: Peel and cut the lid, discarding the core.  This will be your pie filling.  Add a little lemon juice to the apples to keep them from browning.

Step 5: Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add vanilla, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.  Remove from heat and add cut apple-lid pieces. Mix thoroughly. 

Step 6: Pour apple mixture into the apple cups, saving a little of the juices for the pie crust lid.

Step 7:  Take the pie crust out of the fridge and use a cookie cutter to create a "lid".  I used a leaf since this was for a fall inspired event.  Don't try to push it down because the dough will be stiff and you will break it.  It will form to the apple once baked.  Brush a little of the remaining sugar mixture on top of the crust. Create a few small holes in the crust with a straw to help vent.

Step 8: Bake for 40 minutes on a baking sheet until the apples are soft

Yummy, yummy, yummy!  Wouldn't that be just fantastic with a little vanilla ice cream? Cute single serving and it looks decadent!