Forget The Apple Uglies. Rosie Makes Apple Purties! And Peach, Too!

Not long ago, my neighbor took a trip to the Orange Blossom Bakery in Buxton and returned with one of their famed Apple Uglies for me!  I really should have taken a picture of it, but I was so excited I just jumped on that sucker like a monkey on a cupcake.  It was gone before I even thought about a picture.

I snagged this picture off an internet search

so you can get an idea
 of what I'm talking about here.





Anyhoos, Rosie, being Rosie, had to make her version of the Apple Ugly.

I present to you ...  (drumroll, please) ...  Rosie's Apple Purties!

 




















Rosie's Apple Purties

1/2 cup warm water
1 package yeast

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup Crisco
1 small can evaporated milk (5 oz.), warm
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp vanilla
 4 - 4 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp mace

1-2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup homemade apple filling

Measure water and sprinkle yeast and about a teaspoon of the sugar on top.  Let it proof.  This means the yeast "proves" it's alive by eating the sugar and emitting by-products like carbon dioxide and alcohol.  In other words, it gets poofy and bubbly.  That means it's working.

In the stand of an electric mixer with the dough hook attachment, cream the shortening and sugar.  With the machine going, add in the yeast mixture, evaporated milk, egg, and vanilla.  Beat until well-mixed.  Work in 2 cups of the flour, the salt, mace, and nutmeg.  Gradually beat in the rest of the flour.  Process about 5 minutes.  You want the dough to pull away from the sides, but still stick a bit to the bottom.  Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead until it all comes together.  You want an elastic, pliable dough, not stiff.  Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled.

While the dough is rising, prepare the apple filling.

Apple Filling
3 apples, cored, peeled, and sliced
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 TB brown sugar
1 TB water
pinch kosher salt
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and cook down over low heat, stirring occasionally and breaking apple slices with a wooden spoon.  You don't want applesauce.  You want tender small chunks.  Remove from heat.

When dough is doubled, remove from bowl and place on lightly floured work surface.  Roll out dough into a sheet about 1/2 inch thick.  Spread apple filling evenly over top of dough and sprinkle with the cinnamon.  Cut dough into 16 equal pieces.  (I use a bench scraper to cut and scrape up the dough with.)  Gather each piece up and squish together, free-form style, containing the filling and sealing the dough.  Place on lightly oiled pan, cover, and let rise until doubled.

In a deep fry pan, heat at least 2 inches peanut oil to 350°-375°.  Using a flat, metal spatula, gently scrape up the dough pieces and slide into hot oil.  Do NOT crowd.  Fry 2 or 3 at a time.  About 1 1/2 minutes each side, until golden brown.  Place on rack to drain.  Let cool a bit, then drizzle with icing.

Icing
3 cups powder sugar
4 TB milk or cream
2 tsp vanilla
pinch kosher salt
Whisk all together until smooth.

Now for the step-by-steps:

Let the yeast proof.

Process in stand mixer,

 then finish off by hand.

Place in oiled bowl.


Let rise until doubled.

Turn out onto lightly floured work surface.

And start rolling out.  Roll.  Rest.  Roll.  Rest.
Take your time.

Roll out until it's about 1/2 inch thick.
Try to make a rectangle shape.

Then spread the apple filling over top.
 

Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Cut into 16 pieces.

Squish and seal.


 
 
 Place on lightly oiled baking sheets.

Let rise.

Until doubled.

And fry.

Hot oil.  350°-375°.

2 or 3 at a time.

Drain on rack.

Let cool at bit.

Then drizzle with icing.

This is the fun part.

Feast with your eyes:

I had to take this a step further and make Peach Purties.

Instead of cooked apples, I simply spooned on sliced raw peaches.

And sprinkled the cinnamon over top.

Fry and drain.

And drizzle.

Enjoy!

It's a toss-up between the peach and the apple!