Mia P. Manansala here! I absolutely loved Esme Addison's debut, A SPELL FOR TROUBLE, so when I saw the sequel, A HEX FOR DANGER, was coming out this summer, I knew I had to get her as a guest for the Mystery Lovers Kitchen! Make sure to read all the way to the end for instructions on how to enter for a chance to win A SPELL FOR TROUBLE, the first book in the Enchanted Bay Mystery Series.
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| Polish Apple Pie |
Esme Addison's Polish Apple Pie
The Enchanted Bay Mystery series is not a culinary cozy per se BUT it does feature A LOT of food. Since the series focuses on Poland’s the Mermaid of Warsaw myth, Polish food plays an important role in each book.
I try to incorporate all of the wonderful foods my mother-in-law has prepared for me and our family through the years. So many baked goods. So many pastries – how to choose? I thought I’d go with… simple.
In A Hex For Danger, Aunt Lidia serves apple pie at a family dinner. Known simply as apple pie in her house, others may know it as Polish Apple Pie or Szarlotka (shar-lott-kah).
Apple pie may be American, but it’s also Polish. Poland has grown apples since at least the 12th century. Some may say that the cultivation of apples and the myth of the Mermaid of Warsaw began around the same time!
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| Polish Apple Orchard |
Did you know that Poland is the biggest apple-growing country in the European Union, and is home to nearly a third of all apple orchards in the EU?
How about them apples?
No wonder I’ve heard so many stories about my husband picking apples as a child. Why he loves them so much now. And why going to Asheville, NC for apple-picking season annually is a must-do.
Anyway.
I thought sharing Polish Apple Pie made the most sense. Simple… and simply delicious.
By the way… I’m not telling you how to eat your apple pie… some want to top their slice with whipped cream, while others want a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. As for me?
I like mine simple. Just me, the pie and a fork.
That way you can taste the rustic goodness of the apples as they meld with notes of creamy butter, spicy cinnamon and aromatic vanilla. Not too sweet (one of my favorite things about Polish desserts) and very fruit forward.
This is a recipe and dessert that allows the unpretentious goodness of the apple to shine through!
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| Apple Pie Filling |
Ingredients
3⅓ cups plain flour
⅔ cup confectioners’ sugar
2 sticks of butter
3 eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla
3.3 lb. semi-sweet apples
1 cup super-fine white sugar (or less, depending how sweet your apples are)
1 tbsp. cinnamon
Confectioners’ sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
I prefer to use a deep rectangular baking tray (18x27 cm / 7x10 inch), but any shape will do
Take out the butter for half an hour in advance to let it soften
Knead together all the ingredients (flour, confectioners’ sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla), form a smooth mass, wrap into cling film and place in the refrigerator.
Wash the apples, peel them and then slice
Place the apple pieces in a pot. Cover in sugar and start cooking until soft. Add cinnamon and vanilla mid-way through.
Grease the baking tray and/or line it with baking paper. Roll out half of the dough and place in the tray. Pierce with a fork.
Heat the oven to 350°F, bake the crust for 5-10 minutes until it starts to turn golden-brown.
Remove crust from the oven. Pour apples into the pan. Roll the remaining dough and use it on top to cover the apples. Bake for 1 hour in 350° F
Serve cooled or warm with confectioner’s sugar sprinkled on top
Notes
I like Honeycrisp apples for this recipe. (Not too sweet, not too tart.)
The smaller the apple slices, the more chance you’ll end up with an applesauce-y pie. Bigger chunks/slices are better.
You can sprinkle confectioners’ sugar on top of the crust
I love using a deep rectangular baking tray for this pie but you can use what you have or like
Let your finished pie sit for a while so the filling can “settle”
For fans of Ellery Adams and Heather Blake will be charmed by Esme Addison's new Enchanted Bay mystery series.
The small town of Bellamy Bay has its share of skeletons in its closet, but it isn't used to bodies turning up in the local history museum. After all, this coastal North Carolina town is much like any other...except, of course, for the mermaids.
Helping to run the family business, an herbal apothecary while keeping her supernatural secret hidden is no easy feat for water witch Aleksandra Daniels. But somehow she's still found time to help her friend Celeste, who has her own Caribbean mermaid heritage plan the annual Mermaid Festival. As fun-seekers throng the beaches, Alex gets to know and is intrigued by renowned artist Neve Ryland, who's in town to decorate the local park with a mermaid-themed mural. Celeste, however, is less enamored with the artist, as Neve has been spending entirely too much one-on-one time with her boyfriend Jasper, director of Bellamy Bay's history museum. Then, a reception for Neve ends abruptly when the artist is found dead in his office.
The police investigation nets Celeste who asks Alex to find the true culprit. With the help of her magically-inclined aunt and cousins, Alex dives in to clear her friend's name. But there was more to Neve Ryland than met the eye...and Alex fears she may be in way too deep. Will she catch the crook or be next on the hook?
Author Bio
You can learn more about Esme at https://esmeaddison.com. Follow her on Goodreads, Bookbub, Amazon Authors, Facebook @EsmeAddisonAuthor, and on Twitter and Instagram @EsmeAddison.
Keep up to date with the latest by subscribe to her newsletter at https://esmeaddison.com/newsletter/.
Purchase the first book in the series A Spell For Trouble at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop.org or request from your local bookstore.
You can also purchase autographed copies of Esme’s books at Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, NC.
GIVEAWAY! For a chance to win A SPELL FOR TROUBLE, ask Esme a question in the comments. Make sure to leave your email so she can contact the winner.
