Monday, October 31, 2011

A word of cheer

I guess I am a bit early, with it still being October and all, but I like to order my cards ahead of time, so I can write one now and then, so it doesn’t become a chore. Besides: I send cards all over Europe and overseas, and the deadline for the guaranteed delivery before Christmas sneaks up on me every year it seems. 
I prefer a handwritten note to the e-mailed Christmas letter, but whatever works :)
These would look great in my mailbox:

















Photos are from the links under the cards

Thursday, October 27, 2011

"Surely the apple is the noblest of fruits" - Henry David Thoreau

Muligens verdens beste eplepai:

Possibly the best apple pie in the world:





Crust
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter or for you Norwegians: melange
One egg and water that totals just shy of ½ cup
Caramel mixture
½  cup butter (melange)
3 tablespoons flour
¼ cup water
½ cup white sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
    6-8 apples ( depending on the size and your preference.)
I used 6 today and saved the other two)

1-2 teaspoons of cinnamon
Combine flour and salt in a bowl. “Cut” in the butter in the flour. Add the egg and water mixture. Make sure to not add too much at first. The dough should not be sticky. Let it rest in the refrigerator for half an hour.
Preheat your oven to about 200 to 220 degrees C depending on your oven.  
Melt the butter in a saucepan and combine with the flour. Add the two types of sugar, cinnamon and water and simmer until the sugar has melted.  
Cut the dough in half and roll out the bottom half of the crust. Put it in your pie dish and fill with apple slices.  
Make the lattice crust, and fill with the caramel mixture. Not as messy as if you do it the other way around :)… 
Bake the pie for 15 minutes at 220 degrees C. Reduce the temperature to about 175 degrees C and bake for another 30 to 45 minutes. The pie is done when the apples are soft.  
I forgot to take a photo of the finished pie, but it looked like a million dollars, and tasted even better :)