Well, apple season is definitely here!  Hundreds of tourists and even locals from neighboring cities continue to make their way up to Apple Hill in our town of Camino, which is situated in the sierra foothills of El Dorado County.  The Apple Hill® Growers Association … located in Camino, Cedar Grove, Placerville and Pollock Pines, CA … was once a fledgling association comprised of 5 ranches.  Today the Association has over 50 ranches including fruit growers, bake shops, wineries, a micro-brewery, a spa and Christmas tree growers.  [Source: http://www.applehill.com].

My husband and I are blessed to now be a part of this quaint town and community…

We recently acquired a historical property in Camino and are anxiously waiting to move in full-time after a few remodeling takes place.  Meanwhile, I thought I take this opportunity to pay tribute to the apple orchards with some kitchen play and lady apples– one of my favorites.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp. water
• 4 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled ( I used 6 lady apples for this recipe)
• 1/2 cup caramel sauce
• 1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed

core the apples

puff pastry

trim excess edges

handcrafted leafs

optional cinnamon sugar pressed onto dough

cinnamon-sugar filling

caramel filling

wrapping the dough around apple

bottom of apple

adding the leafs

inside the oven

out of the oven

Et Voilà…Caramel Lady Apple Pie

Caramel filling…

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 400°F.  Stir the cinnamon and sugar in a shallow bowl.  Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork or whisk.  Using an apple peeler, scoop the cores out of the apples from the top, making sure to leave the bottoms intact.
2. Coat the apples with the cinnamon mixture ( I added the cinnamon mixture inside the core of the apples instead).  Spoon 2 tablespoons caramel sauce into each apple.
3. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface.  Roll the pastry sheet into a 10×9-inch rectangle.  Cut into 9 (1×10-inch) strips  Press the ends of 2 pastry strips together to make 1 (1×20-inch) strip.  Repeat with 6 of the remaining pastry strips.  Cut 8 leaf shapes from the last pastry strip.
4. Starting at the bottom, wind 1 pastry strip around 1 apple, slightly overlapping the edges of the pastry.  Repeat with the remaining pastry strips and apples.  Top each with 2 pastry leaves.  Brush the pastries with the egg mixture.  Place the pastries onto a baking sheet.
5. Bake for 25 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown.  Serve the pastries with the ice cream.

Original recipe adapted from http://www.puffpastry.com/recipe/60536/inside-out-caramel-apples