Wish Upon A Chef

I don't think I've ever seen a prettier Spring. At least not one that compelled me to get out of bed early on my coveted Sunday morning and head into the neighboring town to snap some photos of the spring blooms. Even though the weather is still a little iffy these days, I hope these pictures will help you understand why I'm a day late posting my March Daring Baker's Challenge. It was just too pretty outside to be stuck in the kitchen.

The 2010 March Daring Baker’s challenge was hosted by Jennifer of Chocolate Shavings. She chose Orange Tian as the challenge for this month, a dessert based on a recipe from Alain Ducasse’s Cooking School in Paris. And let me tell you, it was the perfect challenge for spring!


When I first saw the challenge, I decided I wasn't going to participate because I was short on time and the dessert just didn't call my name when I read through the ingredients. But a few days later, I had a change of heart and I'm so glad that I did. The combination of sweet oranges, freshly whipped cream infused with homemade orange marmalade atop a pate sablee crust was a delightful, airy combination. If you haven't chosen your Easter menu dessert, give some serious consideration to the Orange Tian. Don't let the length of the recipe posted below scare you as it's really not that complicated at all. All of the components with the exception of the whipped cream can be made in advance.

Thank you, Jennifer, for an excellent challenge!


Note: There are quite a few steps to making this dessert; however a lot of them can be made in advance. The orange marmalade can be made several days ahead of time and the caramel sauce and orange segments preparation should be made the day before you make the dessert. Also, if you have a scale, try and use the weighed measurements as they will be the most accurate.

The recipe can be a little bit tricky to put together, especially the first time. The main tip is to make sure the whipped cream is firm enough when you make it and be sure to leave the desserts to set in the freezer for long enough or they will fall apart when you unmold them.

Preparation time:
- Pate Sablee: 20 minutes to make, 30 minutes to rest, 15 minutes to roll out, 20 minutes to bake
- Marmalade: 20 minutes to make, 30 minutes to blanch
- Orange segments: 20 minutes, overnight to sit
- Caramel: 15 minutes, overnight to sit
- Whipped Cream: 15 minutes
- Assembling: 20 minutes
- Freezer to Set: 10 minutes

Equipment required:
• Cookie cutters . Ideally, you should have about 6 cookie cutters to build the desserts in and cut the circles of dough. The cookie cutters will be the size of your final dessert, so they should be the size of an individually-sized tart mold. If you don’t have round cookie cutters you could use an individually-sized cheesecake mold without its base.
• A food processor (although the dough could be made by hand too)
• A stand-up or hand mixer
• Parchment paper or a silicone sheet
• A baking sheet
• A rolling pin

For the Pate Sablee:

Ingredients U.S. Imperial Metric Instructions for Ingredients
2 medium-sized egg yolks at room temperature
granulated sugar 6 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon; 2.8 oz; 80 grams
vanilla extract ½ teaspoon
Unsalted butter ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons; 3.5 oz; 100 grams ice cold, cubed
Salt 1/3 teaspoon; 2 grams
All-purpose flour 1.5 cup + 2 tablespoons; 7 oz; 200 grams
baking powder 1 teaspoon ; 4 grams

Directions:
Put the flour, baking powder, ice cold cubed butter and salt in a food processor fitted with a steel blade.

In a separate bowl, add the eggs yolks, vanilla extract and sugar and beat with a whisk until the mixture is pale. Pour the egg mixture in the food processor.

Process until the dough just comes together. If you find that the dough is still a little too crumbly to come together, add a couple drops of water and process again to form a homogenous ball of dough. Form into a disc, cover with plastic wrap and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.

Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface until you obtain a ¼ inch thick circle.

Using your cookie cutter, cut out circles of dough and place on a parchment (or silicone) lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until the circles of dough are just golden.

For the Marmalade:

Ingredients U.S. Imperial Metric Instructions for Ingredients
Freshly pressed orange juice ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons; 3.5 oz; 100 grams
1 large orange used to make orange slices
cold water to cook the orange slices
pectin 5 grams
granulated sugar: use the same weight as the weight of orange slices once they are cooked

Finely slice the orange. Place the orange slices in a medium-sized pot filled with cold water. Simmer for about 10 minutes, discard the water, re-fill with cold water and blanch the oranges for another 10 minutes.

Blanch the orange slices 3 times. This process removes the bitterness from the orange peel, so it is essential to use a new batch of cold water every time when you blanch the slices.

Once blanched 3 times, drain the slices and let them cool.

Once they are cool enough to handle, finely mince them (using a knife or a food processor).

Weigh the slices and use the same amount of granulated sugar . If you don’t have a scale, you can place the slices in a cup measurer and use the same amount of sugar.

In a pot over medium heat, add the minced orange slices, the sugar you just weighed, the orange juice and the pectin. Cook until the mixture reaches a jam consistency (10-15 minutes).

Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge.

For the Orange Segments:

For this step you will need 8 oranges.

Cut the oranges into segments over a shallow bowl and make sure to keep the juice. Add the segments to the bowl with the juice.

For the Caramel:

Ingredients U.S. Metric Imperial Instructions for Ingredients
granulated sugar 1 cup; 7 oz; 200 grams
orange juice 1.5 cups + 2 tablespoons; 14 oz; 400 grams

Place the sugar in a pan on medium heat and begin heating it.

Once the sugar starts to bubble and foam, slowly add the orange juice. As soon as the mixture starts boiling, remove from the heat and pour half of the mixture over the orange segments.

Reserve the other half of the caramel mixture in a small bowl — you will use this later to spoon over the finished dessert. When the dessert is assembled and setting in the freezer, heat the kept caramel sauce in a small saucepan over low heat until it thickens and just coats the back of a spoon (about 10 minutes). You can then spoon it over the orange tians.

[Tip: Be very careful when making the caramel — if you have never made caramel before, I would suggest making this step while you don’t have to worry about anything else. Bubbling sugar is extremely, extremely hot, so make sure you have a bowl of ice cold water in the kitchen in case anyone gets burnt!]

For the Whipped Cream:

Ingredients U.S. Metric Imperial Instructions for Ingredients
heavy whipping cream 1 cup; 7 oz; 200 grams
3 tablespoons of hot water
1 tsp Gelatin
1 tablespoon of confectioner's sugar
orange marmalade (see recipe above) 1 tablespoon

In a small bowl, add the gelatin and hot water, stirring well until the gelatin dissolves. Let the gelatin cool to room temperature while you make the whipped cream. Combine the cream in a chilled mixing bowl. Whip the cream using a hand mixer on low speed until the cream starts to thicken for about one minute. Add the confectioner sugar. Increase the speed to medium-high. Whip the cream until the beaters leave visible (but not lasting) trails in the cream, then add the cooled gelatin slowly while beating continuously. Continue whipping until the cream is light and fluffy and forms soft peaks. Transfer the whipped cream to a bowl and fold in the orange marmalade.
[Tip: Use an ice cold bowl to make the whipped cream in. You can do this by putting your mixing bowl, cream and beater in the fridge for 20 minutes prior to whipping the cream.]

Assembling the Dessert:

Make sure you have some room in your freezer. Ideally, you should be able to fit a small baking sheet or tray of desserts to set in the freezer.

Line a small tray or baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone sheet. Lay out 6 cookie cutters onto the parchment paper/silicone.

Drain the orange segments on a kitchen towel.

Have the marmalade, whipped cream and baked circles of dough ready to use.

Arrange the orange segments at the bottom of each cookie cutter. Make sure the segments all touch either and that there are no gaps. Make sure they fit snuggly and look pretty as they will end up being the top of the dessert. Arrange them as you would sliced apples when making an apple tart.

Once you have neatly arranged one layer of orange segments at the bottom of each cookie cutter, add a couple spoonfuls of whipped cream and gently spread it so that it fills the cookie cutter in an even layer. Leave about 1/4 inch at the top so there is room for dough circle.

Using a butter knife or small spoon, spread a small even layer of orange marmalade on each circle of dough.

Carefully place a circle of dough over each ring (the side of dough covered in marmalade should be the side touching the whipping cream). Gently press on the circle of dough to make sure the dessert is compact.

Place the desserts to set in the freezer to set for 10 minutes.

Using a small knife, gently go around the edges of the cookie cutter to make sure the dessert will be easy to unmold. Gently place your serving plate on top of a dessert (on top of the circle of dough) and turn the plate over. Gently remove the cookie cutter, add a spoonful of caramel sauce and serve immediately.

Beginning the day without eating breakfast is the equivalent of starting out on a long journey with no gas in the car. You can coast for a little while on the fumes but eventually wind up sputtering and stalled out on the side of the road. Eating a good breakfast sets the tone for the rest of the day, which in my case means the bitchiness is kept to a minimum for at least the first half of the day. We won't even discuss the ramifications if I don't get lunch.

I struggle with breakfast because I can't exactly go into the office kitchenette and whip up a full-fledged Bob Evans breakfast. There are very few portable breakfast items and too, I have a very low threshold for food boredom. After I've exhausted the breakfast burritos in every form, fashion and flavor and made the fruit and muffin round, I'm over it.

Perusing my dust-gathering cookbook collection for a new way to start the day, I ran across these breakfast cookies from the quaint Cafe Beaujolias in Mendocino, California. Manipulating the recipe just a bit to accommodate what I had on hand, I very much enjoyed the results. I picked up a few containers of yogurt, crumbled the cookies and added some fresh fruit for a tasty morning parfait.

So, grab a breakfast cookie, rev your engine and start the day on a full tank!


Breakfast Cookies
Morning Food - Cafe Beaujolias
Makes about 5-1/2 dozen

1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup regular rolled oats, toasted
1 cup Grape Nuts cereal ( I used Rice Krispies)
1/2 cup peanut butter
2-1/2 cups white flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup + 1 tblsp toasted wheat germ (I omitted this)
1/3 cup + 1 tblsp oat bran (I used Steel Cut Oats)
1/3 cup + 1 tblsp nonfat dry milk powder
1 cup raisins or currants (I used dried cranberries)
1 cup toasted, chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg, then the oil and vanilla. Stir in the remaining ingredients.

Form into balls between 1 to 3 inches in diameter. Place on ungreased baking sheet and flatten with a fork. Bake for 12-18 minutes, depending on the size of the cookie. Check the bottoms because they are very brown to begin with and you must watch this closely. Remove from the pan and cool.

The month of February cannot come and go without thoughts of love, relationships, and togetherness. According to this article, there are four types of love and it's really important to a relationship to have all four.

Agape love is the unconditional side of love where your significant other loves you no matter what. Even if you've forgotten to take the trash out for the second week in a row, don't worry. Everything is going to be okay because of this non-judgemental kind of love.

Phileo love, or friendship love, is just that....the kind of love that makes you laugh at each other's jokes even when they're not really funny. It's what makes you have fun together when you're doing boring things like matching socks from the laundry.

Storge love may be better known as PDA or public display of affection. It's the hand holding, a simple kiss on the cheek just because, or the touchy-feely when you think no one is looking.

Eros love is the hot and steamy antics that happen behind closed doors. It's the stuff we can't talk about here because my mother is reading.

But the article didn't talk about the fifth kind of love. It is, in my opinion, the best love of all kinds....

Tiramisu love. This is the kind of love that makes you want to spend an entire day making your own pastry cream, savoiardi biscuits, zabaglione, and mascarpone cheese. And when the espresso soaked biscuits melt in your mouth and the luscious silky pastry cream takes over your senses, you'll realize you can never love another store-bought tiramisu again.


The February 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen and Deeba of Passionate About Baking. They chose Tiramisu as the challenge for the month. Their challenge recipe is based on recipes from The Washington Post, Cordon Bleu at Home and Baking Obsession.

This was an awesome challenge ~ probably my most favorite one of all that I've participated in so far. When the five pages of instructions printed out, I nearly gave up on my tiramisu relationship, but it was a very simple process, very well worth it and hardly took any active time at all. Most of the time was spent waiting for everything to chill overnight. When you see the instructions at the bottom of this post, you'll most likely run screaming with a click of the Back button, but I promise you it's not that bad.

I also promise that if, during this month of all things love, you take a long, hard look at your current relationship and realize you're missing any one of the four important types of love, just grab a spoon and discover the love of tiramisu...



TIRAMISU

(Recipe source: Carminantonio's Tiramisu from The Washington Post, July 11 2007 )
This recipe makes 6 servings

For the zabaglione:
2 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup Marsala wine (or port or coffee)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

For the vanilla pastry cream:
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup whole milk

For the whipped cream:
1 cup chilled heavy cream (we used 25%)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

To assemble the tiramisu:
2 cups brewed espresso, warmed
1 teaspoon rum extract (optional)
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
36 savoiardi/ladyfinger biscuits (you may use less)
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

For the zabaglione:
Heat water in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, place a pot with about an inch of water in it on the stove. Place a heat-proof bowl in the pot making sure the bottom does not touch the water.
In a large mixing bowl (or stainless steel mixing bowl), mix together the egg yolks, sugar, the Marsala (or espresso/coffee), vanilla extract and lemon zest. Whisk together until the yolks are fully blended and the mixture looks smooth.
Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler or place your bowl over the pan/ pot with simmering water. Cook the egg mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 8 minutes or until it resembles thick custard. It may bubble a bit as it reaches that consistency.
Let cool to room temperature and transfer the zabaglione to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

For the pastry cream:
Mix together the sugar, flour, lemon zest and vanilla extract in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. To this add the egg yolk and half the milk. Whisk until smooth.
Now place the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly to prevent the mixture from curdling.
Add the remaining milk a little at a time, still stirring constantly. After about 12 minutes the mixture will be thick, free of lumps and beginning to bubble. (If you have a few lumps, don’t worry. You can push the cream through a fine-mesh strainer.)
Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

For the whipped cream:
Combine the cream, sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer or immersion blender until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Set aside.

To assemble the tiramisu:
Have ready a rectangular serving dish (about 8" by 8" should do) or one of your choice.
Mix together the warm espresso, rum extract and sugar in a shallow dish, whisking to mix well. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese with a spoon to break down the lumps and make it smooth. This will make it easier to fold. Add the prepared and chilled zabaglione and pastry cream, blending until just combined. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Set this cream mixture aside.

Now to start assembling the tiramisu.
Working quickly, dip 12 of the ladyfingers in the sweetened espresso, about 1 second per side. They should be moist but not soggy. Immediately transfer each ladyfinger to the platter, placing them side by side in a single row. You may break a lady finger into two, if necessary, to ensure the base of your dish is completely covered.
Spoon one-third of the cream mixture on top of the ladyfingers, then use a rubber spatula or spreading knife to cover the top evenly, all the way to the edges.
Repeat to create 2 more layers, using 12 ladyfingers and the cream mixture for each layer. Clean any spilled cream mixture; cover carefully with plastic wrap and refrigerate the tiramisu overnight.
To serve, carefully remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the tiramisu with cocoa powder using a fine-mesh strainer or decorate as you please. Cut into individual portions and serve.

MASCARPONE CHEESE

(Source: Vera’s Recipe for Homemade Mascarpone Cheese)
This recipe makes 12oz/ 340gm of mascarpone cheese

Ingredients:
2 cups whipping (36 %) pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized), preferably organic cream (between 25% to 36% cream will do)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a wide skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the water is barely simmering. Pour the cream into a medium heat-resistant bowl, then place the bowl into the skillet. Heat the cream, stirring often, to 190 F. If you do not have a thermometer, wait until small bubbles keep trying to push up to the surface.
It will take about 15 minutes of delicate heating. Add the lemon juice and continue heating the mixture, stirring gently, until the cream curdles. Do not expect the same action as you see during ricotta cheese making. All that the whipping cream will do is become thicker, like a well-done crème anglaise. It will cover a back of your wooden spoon thickly. You will see just a few clear whey streaks when you stir. Remove the bowl from the water and let cool for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, line a sieve with four layers of dampened cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Transfer the mixture into the lined sieve. Do not squeeze the cheese in the cheesecloth or press on its surface (be patient, it will firm up after refrigeration time). Once cooled completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (in the sieve) overnight or up to 24 hours.
Vera’s notes: The first time I made mascarpone I had all doubts if it’d been cooked enough, because of its custard-like texture. Have no fear, it will firm up beautifully in the fridge, and will yet remain lusciously creamy.
Keep refrigerated and use within 3 to 4 days.

LADYFINGERS/ SAVOIARDI BISCUITS
(Source: Recipe from Cordon Bleu At Home)
This recipe makes approximately 24 big ladyfingers or 45 small (2 1/2" to 3" long) ladyfingers.

Ingredients:
3 eggs, separated
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup cake flour, sifted (or 3/4 cup all purpose flour + 2 tbsp corn starch)
6 tablespoons confectioner's sugar,

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 F degrees, then lightly brush 2 baking sheets with oil or softened butter and line with parchment paper.
Beat the egg whites using a hand held electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gradually add granulate sugar and continue beating until the egg whites become stiff again, glossy and smooth.
In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly with a fork and fold them into the meringue, using a wooden spoon. Sift the flour over this mixture and fold gently until just mixed. It is important to fold very gently and not overdo the folding. Otherwise the batter would deflate and lose volume resulting in ladyfingers which are flat and not spongy.
Fit a pastry bag with a plain tip (or just snip the end off; you could also use a Ziploc bag) and fill with the batter. Pipe the batter into 5" long and 3/4" wide strips leaving about 1" space in between the strips.
Sprinkle half the confectioner's sugar over the ladyfingers and wait for 5 minutes. The sugar will pearl or look wet and glisten. Now sprinkle the remaining sugar. This helps to give the ladyfingers their characteristic crispness.
Hold the parchment paper in place with your thumb and lift one side of the baking sheet and gently tap it on the work surface to remove excess sprinkled sugar.
Bake the ladyfingers for 10 minutes, then rotate the sheets and bake for another 5 minutes or so until the puff up, turn lightly golden brown and are still soft.
Allow them to cool slightly on the sheets for about 5 minutes and then remove the ladyfingers from the baking sheet with a metal spatula while still hot, and cool on a rack.
Store them in an airtight container till required. They should keep for 2 to 3 weeks.

Salmon lead a fascinating life...

Beginning life as tiny eggs hatched in a stream bed, they spend a few years in the streams and rivers before they begin their journey downstream to the ocean. Their bodies change to adapt to life in saltwater and after several years of frolicking in the ocean, their bodies re-adjust to freshwater so they can swim through miles and miles of rugged, upstream rapids and waterfalls to return to their spawning grounds to breed and lay eggs. Those that make the trip back usually die within a week of laying their eggs and those that don't make it back to the spawning grounds end up on a plate smothered with ginger-cilantro pesto.

Okay, so maybe it's not such an exciting life because either way, the end result is belly up. Maybe the lesson to be learned here is that we should make the most of the time spent swimming downstream because we just don't know if we'll make it back. While I continue to feel particularly philosophical today, maybe you should just go lead a fascinating life and enjoy this recipe before we all go belly up.

Grilled Salmon with Ginger-Cilantro Pesto on Sauteed Greens
Holland America's Taste of Elegance Cookbook

Serves 4

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and light green parts only, plus 1 extra scallion thinly sliced (for garnish)
1/3 cup salted roasted macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup chopped peeled fresh ginger
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
7 tbls vegetable oil, divided
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 (6 oz) salmon steaks or fillets, 1" thick
1-1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 tbls extra virgin olive oil
2 bunches arugula or 3 bunches watercress, coarse stems discarded and the greens rinsed but not spun dry

To make the pesto, combine the cilantro, 1/3 cup scallions, macadamia nuts, ginger, and cayenne in a food processor. Blend until the nuts are finely chopped. While processing, slowly add 6 tablespoons vegetable oil until the mixture is well blended. Season with salt and pepper. The pesto can be made 1 day ahead. Cover, chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Heat a grill (charcoal, gas, or electric) to medium-high heat. Brush the salmon with the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the salmon on an oiled rack until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Alternatively, you can cook the fish in a large hot grill pan over moderately high heat or under a preheated broiler until opaque in the center, about 4 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet saute the garlic in the olive oil over moderately high heat for 30 seconds, or until it is fragrant. Add the arugula and stir the mixture until it is well combined. Cook, covered, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the greens aer just wilted. Season with salt and pepper.

Put the sauteed greens in the center of serving platter. Top with the salmon, pesto, and sliced scallion and serve immediately.

Do you have what it takes to be a really good friend?

If a friend trusts you with a secret, can you cross your heart, hope to die, stick a needle in your eye promise not to tell another soul?

Do you always remember their birthdays?

Do you promise not to fight over boys even if one of you has to swallow the bitter pill when Mr. Right chooses her over you?

When a fight breaks out, can your friends count on you to have their back?

When I lived in the Wasteland, one of the (many) things that I struggled with most was the fact that I had no friends. I had close friends located far away, but the Captain and I didn't socially interact with alot of people and while he was honestly one of my best friends, I truly missed having a gossip-filled lunch with my girlfriends or having other friends over for an impromptu dinner. It was a lonely existence and when I found myself back in the Queen City, I made it a point to become acquainted with lots of cool people and also made it a point to keep the fires burning under the friendships formed so long ago.

I made this sinfully delicious Caramel Apple Pie for my friend G., who's birthday was back in....oh, I don't know... November sometime? We tried numerous times to get together so that I could gift him with some good home cooking but I got sick, he had a hot date, the holidays interfered, and before we knew it, it was next year. But being the good friend that I am try to be, I hounded G. until he came for his birthday dinner.

It's hard enough to imagine that this recipe, with all of its decadence, came from a 1999 publication of Cooking Light, but even harder to imagine that it took me this long to find out about it. After the gluttonous holidays, we probably should all be counting our calories but at 277 calories a slice, this isn't too bad of an indulgence and definitely worth an extra mile on the treadmill tomorrow!

Bake the pie, invite some friends over to enjoy, and if you can't decide who's going to get who's back during the fight, just call my friend K. because she's really good at getting your back when it counts!

P.S. I cheated and used a pre-made pie crust because I was pressed for time and I don't think G., in all of his birthday dinner excitment, even noticed.

Caramel Apple Crumb Pie
Cooking Light, November 1999

Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chilled butter or stick margarine, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
3 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon ice water
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
Butter-flavored cooking spray

Filling:
1 tablespoon butter or stick margarine
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
9 cups sliced peeled Granny Smith apple (about 2 3/4 pounds)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Topping:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons chilled butter or stick margarine, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup fat-free caramel sundae syrup
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°.

To prepare crust, lightly spoon 1 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine 1 cup flour and salt in a bowl; cut in 2 tablespoons butter and shortening with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle surface with ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time; add vinegar. Toss with a fork until moist and crumbly (do not form a ball).

Press mixture gently into a 4-inch circle on heavy-duty plastic wrap; cover with additional plastic wrap. Roll dough, still covered, to a 12-inch circle. Freeze 10 minutes or until plastic wrap can be easily removed.

Remove 1 sheet of plastic wrap; fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Remove top sheet of plastic wrap. Fold edges under; flute. Line bottom of dough with a piece of foil; arrange pie weights (or dried beans) on foil. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until the edge is lightly browned. Remove pie weights and foil; cool on a wire rack.

To prepare filling, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Combine 1/2 cup brown sugar and cinnamon. Add sugar mixture and apples to skillet; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in 3 tablespoons flour and lemon juice. Spoon into prepared crust.

To prepare topping, lightly spoon 1/4 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and 1/4 cup brown sugar in a bowl; cut in 2 tablespoons butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Drizzle syrup over apple mixture; sprinkle topping over syrup. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until apples are tender. Cool on a wire rack.