Chelan Fresh fruit is the perfect ingredient for a wide array of recipes. Whether sweet or savory, apples, cherries and pears all serve delicious culinary purposes. Looking for ideas? We invite you to step into our kitchen and look through our featured recipes below. Want more? Check out our variety of recipe-filled eBooks!
Next time you’re looking to make something special for a cozy Saturday morning, give these a try. Though certainly an indulgent treat, these sweet rolls filled with spiced apples serve up just half the calories you’ll find in many bakery creations. A nice departure from raisins, the Grannies offer wonderful apple flavor and needless to say, will make your kitchen smell just heavenly. All wrapped up in a soft yeast dough and drizzled with a simple cream cheese glaze, these apple cinnamon rolls are sure to become a family favorite.
Serves 12 or 15
For the Dough:
½ cup warm water
2 teaspoons yeast
1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
½ cup half and half
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons shortening
1 whole egg plus 2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ½ to 4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray or vegetable oil for your rising bowl
For the Filling:
2 medium Granny Smith apples
2/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Pinch salt
3 tablespoons butter, softened
Cooking spray or a dab of shortening for your baking dish
Unflavored and unwaxed tooth floss
For the Cream Cheese Glaze:
1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened
1-2 tablespoons milk
¾ cup powdered sugar
In a small bowl, combine your warm water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar. Let this sit for a few minutes until foamy.
Meanwhile, combine the half and half, 2 tablespoons of butter, and shortening in a microwave-safe bowl or liquid measuring cup. Microwave for 30-60 seconds, or until the half and half is warm and the fats are mostly melted. Add to this your 1/3 cup granulated sugar, egg, egg yolks, and vanilla; whisk to combine.
Measure 3 cups of flour into the bowl of an electric mixer and stir in the teaspoon of salt. Now that your yeast has proofed, add this as well as your half and half mixture to the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough begins to come together and then switch to the dough hook attachment. Knead on medium-low to medium speed for about 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Add the remaining ½ to 1 cup of flour as you go. Keep in mind this is a soft dough, so don’t go overboard with the flour!
Spritz a large mixing bowl with cooking spray (or oil with a teaspoon of vegetable oil). Add your dough to the bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.
While your dough is rising in a cozy place, you can get on with the filling. Peel and chop the Granny Smith apples into small bits and set aside.
In a separate small bowl, mix together the 2/3 cup brown sugar, cinnamon, and pinch of salt. Set this aside as well.
Once risen, punch down your dough and transfer it to a silicone work mat or a floured work surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a large rectangle, approximately 12 inches deep by 18 or 20 inches long. Then, using your fingers, spread the 3 tablespoons of softened butter over the surface of the dough, leaving about a 1-inch unbuttered border on the side closest to you. Next, sprinkle over your brown sugar mixture, again being careful to avoid that 1-inch border. Use your fingers to lightly press the sugar down. Finally, sprinkle your chopped apples on top of the brown sugar.
Now it’s time to roll! Beginning with the end furthest from you, start to roll the dough toward you. Try to make the roll as tight as you can while simultaneously keeping that filling in place. Keep rolling until you reach your naked border. Once you do, pull this edge up and then pinch to seal everything in place. If your roll isn’t very uniform, use your hands to squeeze and make it as even as you can.
Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish and have it nearby.
My favorite way to cut cinnamon rolls is with tooth floss. That’s right. Tooth floss. Just make sure it isn’t flavored! Begin by making little score marks along the top of the roll, so you know where to cut. Depending on how many rolls you want, you’ll either make 12 or 15 slices. Next, take your tooth floss and slide it underneath one end of the roll. Now take each end of the floss in either end, cross them over the top to the other side, and pull. As you pull, the floss will cut through the dough perfectly without mangling or squashing the roll. If this method just isn’t your cup of tea, you can certainly use a very sharp knife. Either way, as you make slices, place each one cut-side down into your baking dish, leaving a little space between each one. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place, until just about doubled in size. (Or, if you’re prepping these the night before, cover with plastic wrap and pop the pan in the fridge overnight. In the morning, pull the pan out of the fridge and allow to rise in a warm place for 30 or so minutes before baking. Because the chopped apples have been allowed to macerate all night with the sugar, you may find a pool of sugary apple juice in the bottom of your pan. Not to worry! You can simply spoon this out before baking to avoid soggy buns and either toss it or use it in your glaze for extra apple flavor!)
When it gets close to baking time, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap, pop these beautiful rolls in the oven on the middle rack, and bake for 20-25 minutes. When done, the tops will be just lightly golden brown in places and a sharp knife poked into the center of one will reveal dough that looks cooked (as opposed to doughy).
While your rolls are baking, take a minute to make the cream cheese glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar. The glaze will be really thick at this point; use the milk to thin it to your desired consistency.
Once the rolls are out of the oven, let them cool for just a few minutes and then drizzle with the glaze. Serve warm and enjoy!
As you can see, I’ve included nutrition information for either a batch of 12 large or 15 medium-sized rolls and these numbers simply reflect their respective sizes. No other changes or modifications were made to their ingredients.
Nutrition information per medium roll (1/15 of recipe): 255 calories, 8 g total fat, 4 g saturated fat, 45 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein
Nutrition information per large roll (1/12 of recipe): 320 calories, 11 g total fat, 5 g saturated fat, 56 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 5 g protein
Chocolate Cherry Popsicles
Gluten, dairy and refined sugar free deliciousness.
Honey & Thyme Roasted Pear Crostini
The most delectable crunch to kick off your meal.
Apple Cinnamon Rolls
The perfect cozy Saturday morning treat.
On the warmest of days, nothing sounds better than a cool, creamy popsicle filled with fresh, bite-size cherry chunks. Popsicles are a favorite refreshing treat loved by people of all ages, and that's why we created this unique and delicious recipe. Everything about it is fun! From pitting and chopping the cherries and pouring the mixture, to dipping the frozen goodies in chocolate and sprinkling them with toppings - creating AND enjoying these chocolate cherry popsicles can be an activity for the whole family.
For 10 Popsicles
2 cups of sweet red cherries, pitted and torn into halves and quarters
1 can of full fat coconut milk
¼ cup pure maple syrup (honey or agave syrup can be used instead)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pinch of salt
3 ounces of dark chocolate, chopped into small even pieces
¼ cup coconut oil
Assorted toppings of your choice; toasted flaked coconut, cocoa nibs, sliced almonds, etc.
To make the popsicles; using a popsicle mold, distribute the cherry pieces evenly into each individual section. Alternatively, if you do not have a popsicle mold, small plastic cups can be used.
Combine the coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla and salt in a blender or a mixing bowl and blend or whisk until very smooth. Pour mixture into each section, stirring lightly with a skewer or thin knife to make sure the liquid fills in around the cherries.
Insert popsicle stick into the center of each mold, making sure it goes about half way in for easy removal. Place mold in the freezer until popsicles are frozen solid, at least 3 hours.
To remove frozen popsicles; place the mold under warm running water for a few seconds, making sure the entire section is under the water. Gentle pull on the stick to remove popsicle. Repeat until the popsicle slides out of the mold easily.
To cover the popsicles in chocolate; place the coconut oil in a small pan over low heat until melted completely. Turn the heat off and add the chopped chocolate. Let sit for 3 minutes or until the chocolate melts completely and gently stir to combine. Let cool for 5 minutes. If the chocolate does not melt all the way, turn the heat back on low for an additional minute, taking care not to scorch the chocolate.
Dip each popsicle in the chocolate, quickly sprinkle desired topping on and immediately place back in the freezer on a plate or sheet pan to set. This process works best if you work in batches.
Once the chocolate has set on the popsicles, store in the freezer in a covered container or freezer bag for up to 3 weeks.
We all need that one appetizer we can depend on when we're in a time crunch. You know, the appetizer that makes everyone "ooo" and "ahh" and ask over and over how you made it, all while you smile graciously, knowing you only had to buy a few ingredients and it took you under an hour to make. This is that appetizer. The combination of freshly baked baguette slices, subtly sweet honey, roasted pear and goat cheese creates a one-of-a-kind savory experience that will not disappoint even the pickiest of eaters. We hope you enjoy!
Created for Chelan Fresh
Author: Meg Raines
For 20-25 crostini, serves roughly 6-10 people as an appetizer
1 baguette, about 9 ounces
8 ounces of goat cheese
2 pears, ripe but firm
2-3 tablespoons of mild flavored honey
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, plus a few sprigs for garnish
Flaked sea salt or kosher salt
Olive oil (preferable in a spray bottle)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
To make crostini rounds; slice the baguette crosswise into 1/2 inch rounds, on a diagonal for a nice presentation if desired, place in a single layer on a cookie sheet, spray the slices lightly with olive oil, turn over and spray again. Alternatively, if you do not have an oil spray bottle brush one side of the slices lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with coarse salt, and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown and toasted. Let cool on cookie sheet.
Warm the honey in a microwave or in a small sauce pan on the stove just until loose and runny.
To roast the pears; slice each pear in half, remove the core and slice each half into 1/4 inch slices. Arrange slices in a single layer on a lightly greased cooking sheet, sprinkle the pear slices with 1 tablespoon of the thyme leaves and drizzle with 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of honey. Bake the pears for 15 minutes or until the pears are tender and begin to brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
To assemble the crostini; spread each toasted baguette slice with about a tablespoon of goat cheese, top with a slice of roasted pear, arrange on a platter and garnish with the remaining thyme leaves, a few sprigs and a final drizzle of the honey. Serve immediately.