Fannie Farmer’s old-fashioned apple recipes
by Fannie Merritt Farmer
The wholesome apple in cookery (from 1913)
Scandinavian legends affirm that the apple was the favorite food of the gods. It was one of the first fruits grown by the Romans; it was early introduced into England, and brought from there to America.
It is easily cultivated, bears fruit farther north than almost any other, and by means of grafting, almost two thousand varieties have been produced. These facts show in part why the apple stands at the head of all fruits.
Belmont baked apples
Wipe selected red apples, and make two circular parallel cuts through the skin of each, leaving a three-fourths-inch and around apple midway between stem and blossom-ends. Put in baking-dish, sprinkle tops generously with sugar, and add boiling water to cover bottom of pan. Bake in a hot oven until apples are soft, basting with syrup in pan.
Stuffed apples recipe
Wipe, then remove a thick slice from the stem-end of eight apples, and scoop out the pulp, leaving apple cups. To two thirds of the pulp, cut in small pieces, add one-fourth cupful of raisins, seeded and cut in pieces, two tablespoonfuls of pecan or English walnut meats, broken in pieces, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and a few grains of salt.
Fill cups with mixture, and add to each two teaspoonfuls of boiling water. Put in pan, add boiling water to cover bottom of pan, and bake long enough to soften the apple, but not long enough to have the cups lose their shapes.
Apple fritters recipe
Mix and sift one and one-third cupfuls of pastry flour, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, and one-fourth teaspoonful of salt. Add two-thirds cupful of milk gradually, while stirring constantly, and one egg well beaten.
Wipe, pare, core, and cut two medium-sized sour apples in eighths; then cut eighths in thin slices crosswise. Stir apples into batter. Drop by spoonfuls into hot deep fat. and fry until delicately browned. Drain and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Apple-and-celery salad
Wipe, pare, core, and cut apples in eighths; then cut eighths in thin slices crosswise. Mix with an equal measure of finely-cut celery and moisten with Cream Salad Dressing (recipe below). Remove tops from red apples, scoop out inside pulp, and serve salad in shells.
Cream salad dressing
To one cupful of sour cream add one egg, slightly beaten, and one-fourth cupful of vinegar. Mix two teaspoonfuls of sugar, two teaspoonfuls of salt, one teaspoonful of mustard, and one-eighth teaspoonful of pepper. Combine mixtures, put in double boiler, and cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens.
Bretton Woods salad
Wipe, pare, core, and cut apples in eighths; then cut eighths in thin slices crosswise. Pare oranges, removing the white portion; then cut out sections separately which lie between the tough membranes. Cut sections in pieces.
Mix one part of cut apples with two parts of orange, and moisten with Fruit French Dressing. Serve in baskets cut from orange-skins.
Fruit French dressing
Mix one-half teaspoonful of salt, one-third teaspoonful of paprika, one and one-half tablespoonfuls of orange-juice, one-half tablespoonful of lemon-juice, and four tablespoonfuls of olive-oil. Stir well.
Vintage-style Dutch apple cake recipe
Mix one cupful of scalded milk, one-third cupful of butter, one-third cupful of sugar, and one-third teaspoonful of salt. When lukewarm add one yeast-cake, broken in small pieces, two eggs, unbeaten, and bread flour (once sifted) to make a soft dough.
Cover, and let rise until mixture has nearly doubled its bulk.Cut down, beat thoroughly, cover, and again let rise. Cut down, spread evenly in a buttered dripping-pan, and brush over with melted butter.
Wipe, pare, cut in eighths, and remove cores from five sour apples. Press sharp edges of apple sections into the dough in parallel rows, lengthwise of pan. Mix one-fourth cupful of sugar and one-half teaspoonful of cinnamon, and sprinkle over dough; then sprinkle with two tablespoonfuls of currants. Cover, again let rise until light, and bake thirty minutes.
ALSO TRY: Creamy Dutch Apple dessert recipe (1979)
Escalloped apple pudding
Wipe, pare, core, and cut apples in quarters; then cut quarters in slices lengthwise; there should be four cup fills. Cut a stale small baker’s loaf in halves, remove all soft parts, and crumb by rubbing through a colander.
Melt one-fourth cupful of butter, and add gradually to crumbs, stirring in lightly with a fork. Cover bottom of a buttered pudding-dish with one third of the crumbs, and spread over one half of the apples.
Mix one-fourth cupful of sugar, one-fourth teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, a few grains of salt, and the grated rind and juice of half a lemon. Sprinkle one half of mixture over apples; then sprinkle with another layer of crumbs, remaining apples and mixture. Cover with crumbs, and bake forty minutes. Serve hot.
Ols-fashioned apple canapes
Cut bread in one-third-inch slices, and shape with a round cutter about four inches in diameter. Saute in butter. Pare, and cut apples in halves; then remove cores, making cavities. Saute apples in butter (cavity side down) in a covered pan.
When apples are half done, turn. Fill cavities with sugar, and continue the cooking until apples are soft. Place a half apple on each piece of sauted bread: pour around Cream Sabayon sauce (recipe below).
Cream sabayon sauce
Put one cupful of milk and one cupful of cream in saucepan, place on range, and bring to the boilingpoint. Beat the yolks of two eggs until thick, and add two tablespoonfuls of sugar.
Pour hot milk and cream gradually, while stirring constantly, on egg mixture, and cook in double boiler five minutes. Add one-half teaspoonful of vanilla and a few grains of salt. Pour gradually, stirring constantly, whites of two eggs, beaten stiff.
Apple pudding recipe
Mix and sift two cupfuls of flour, four teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, and one-half teaspoonful of salt. Work in two tablespoonfuls of butter, and add gradually three-fourths cupful of milk.
Toss on a floured board, pat and roll out. Place four apples (wiped, pared, cut in eighths, and cored) on middle of dough, and sprinkle with one tablespoonful of sugar mixed with one-fourth teaspoonful each of salt and nutmeg.
Bring dough around apples, and lift carefully into a buttered mold. Adjust buttered cover, and steam one hour and twenty minutes.
Fannie Farmer’s vanilla sauce recipe
Work two tablespoonfuls of butter until creamy, and add gradually, while stirring constantly, two tablespoonfuls of flour thoroughly mixed with one-half cupful of sugar; then add yolk of one egg, well beaten, and one-half cupful of water.
Cook in double boiler until mixture thickens, stirring constantly at first. Just before serving-time add one teaspoonful of vanilla, salt, and white of one egg beaten stiff. Serve with Apple pudding.
Apple Washington pie recipe
Work one-fourth cupful of butter until creamy, and beat in one-half cupful of sugar; add one egg well beaten.
Sift one and one-half cupfuls of flour with two and one-half teaspoonfuls of baking powder, and add alternately with one-half cupful of milk to first mixture.
Beat vigorously, turn into two Washington pie tins, spread evenly, and bake twelve minutes. Put between layers, and on top, Apple cream (recipe below).
Apple cream recipe
Wipe, pare, core, and cut apples in quarters; there should be one quart. Put in an earthen dish. Sprinkle with three-fourths cupful of sugar, and add one-third cupful of water and a few grains of salt. Cover, and bake in a slow oven three hours.
When cold, force through a fine sieve. Beat one-half pint of heavy cream until nearly stiff; then beat in the apple pulp. When mixture is stiff, add one teaspoonful of lemon-juice.
NOTE: In my recipes, all measurements are made level. Measuring cups, divided into thirds and quarters, are used; also tea and table measuring-spoons.
ALSO SEE: Johnny Appleseed Pie recipe: Vintage-style apple pie made with maple syrup (1972)
