bavarian apple torte.

I was at my parents' house in Thornhill the other week for my dad's 60th birthday. I was given the job of making dessert, and I opted for one of my all time faves: a Bavarian apple torte. I'd never made it myself before, but my mum would often make it on request for my birthday. It's so delicious, and turns out it's also totally easy to make!

Erick and I went apple picking on Wednesday. It was a beautiful day and I pet some adorable ponies and a goat. It was great. With an abundance of apples now in the house I decided to make the torte again.

Here's the recipe:

Crust
1/2 cup of butter, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour

Filling
1 8oz package of cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla

Apples
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 cups of sliced apples (3-4 apples)

You can use a 9-10'' tart pan, or a 9-10'' spring form pan.

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Make the crust. Mix together all the required ingredients in a stand mixer until you have an even crumbly mixture. Dump it in your tart pan, and press into place along the bottom and about 1'' up the side of the tin. Make sure the crust is relatively even in thickness.

Dust out your mixing bowl, then throw in the ingredients for the filling. Blend together until relatively smooth. Pour into the crust and spread it out so it's an even layer.

In another bowl, mix together the apples, sugar, and cinnamon. Now one slice at a time, lay the apples in a pleasing manner on top of the cream cheese mixture.

Pop in the oven and bake at 450F for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 400F and bake an additional 25 minutes. Allow the torte to cool, then remove it from the pan and serve cold or at room temperature.

It's fall.

Fall is my favourite season. Cool weather makes everything way more enjoyable. The overbearing heat and humidity of summer makes me lazy. I don't cook, I don't bake, and trekking around on adventures always makes me super sweaty. I'm definitely a cool weather gal. Now I'm back in the kitchen, I don't have a strong desire to shower after I take Peggy for a walk, and I get to eat soup and roast gourds, and bake treats. I like it.

Fall also means corn mazes! Too fun. It also includes...

pumpkin picking,

enjoying the last warm days on coffee shop patios,



Thanksgiving at Grandma's house,

nature walks,

and beautiful autumnal flowers.

family photo friday: grandpa's farm

My aunt Margo and grandma at grandpa's farm, 1985.

"Grandpa's farm" wasn't really a farm, we just called it that. My grandparents bought a plot of land a few minutes away from the cottage years and years ago. I'm not entirely sure why. I'd say as an investment, but within the past decade my grandparents donated the land to Nature Conservancy Canada, so no money was made with it. It really was a decent sized plot of land, and included forest, fields, and a big swamp with beaver dams and the whole shebang. My grandpa (and other family members) established some gardens up there. There were zinnias and gladioli, daffodils, lilies, and some vegetables. I vaguely remember digging up potatoes one year. I do remember having to close the gate to the garden so the deer wouldn't get in. There were lots of apple trees too (you can seed some in the photo). And a small wood shed that sort of creeped me out for some reason. Almost every fall we'd have a big family picnic up there, and cook hotdogs and sausages over the fire. I miss that.


Fall picnic anyone?? One with a bonfire, sausages, apples, pie, wine and pumpkin beer? Mmm, good idea Kate.

fall harvesting.

Sometimes iphone photos just have to suffice.

Yesterday a bunch of us went up to the farm. It was such a beautiful day to be out in the fresh air pulling weeds and harvesting food. Sunny, with a nice breeze to keep us cool. September is a bountiful month. Tomatoes, squash, melons, peppers, broccoli, beets, and zinnia. There was even another round of delicious strawberries!

And farm days have their own signature drink now. Fresh squeezed lime juice by Amanda, plus gin. Most excellent.

family photo friday: autumn

At the cottage, 1970.

Fall is coming. My favourite season. Bring on the sweaters and socks.