We're on week 3 of the Food Network Chef's Cooking Challenge, and so far it's been a blast. I mainly get my recipes from other bloggers, my family and
And, I have to confess. We don't have cable, so I have never seen a Food Network show. Ever. This week, I placed a hold for a DVD of one of the shows!! I can't wait.
Now, this week's challenge comes from the chef Alexandra Guarnaschelli. As I browsed through her recipes, I decided on apple chips because (1) I love dried fruit, (2) her recipe looked different than when I make dried fruit, (3) I love apples, (4) It's fall, and I love apples, (5) I love apples. Wait, did I mention I love apples?
Once the weather cools down, I try to make dried fruit each week... pineapple, peaches, apples.... whatever we want to try. While I like my own dried apples, Frog Prince doesn't so much. I think it's due to the fact that I just dry them in my oven... or so I thought.
What I realized, is I missed a step.... soaking the fruits before drying. That's what Alexandra told me. This does mean I have to think ahead (read: prep the night before), but the result is a delicious apple chip.
Apple Chips - Modified Alexandra Guarnashelli
2 medium apples (your choosing, a crisp flavorful apple is recommended)
2 C water
1 1/2 C sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water. Bring to a slow boil over medium heat, and allow to boil for just a minute or two.
Remove sugar water from heat and allow it to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, peel, core and very thinly (as thin as you can manage) slice the apples.
Place 1 tsp. lemon juice in a large bowl (make sure this bowl can be easily covered). Add to it, the sugar water and stir to combine.
Add the apples, carefully so as to not snap them in half.
Cover, and allow the apples to soak in the mixture for a couple hours, or as Alexandra recommends, overnight.
In the morning, preheat your oven to 200.
Carefully drain the liquid from the apples. Lay out the apples on a paper towel to remove extra liquids.
Then, space out the apples on cookie sheets covered in parchment paper. Place any apples that are sliced a little thicker towards the outside edges.
Place the trays in the oven at 200 and cook for 1-3 hours (check after 1 hour and then thereafter to make sure they don't get too brown).
Turn off the oven when apples are still a little chewy to the touch. Then, leave the apples in the cooling oven to crisp.
Enjoy!
I really like these apple chips. They take less time to make, and they have a crunch/snap to them (I think the sugar helps with that). While I'm not sure I like the idea of adding more sugar to already sweet apples, I might try diluting the sugar water mix more to have the best of both worlds. :)
Check out what other people made from Alexandra this week!
This post is linked to Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.
