ThisANight Inis sponsored by Anolon.
Welcome to the second installment ofA Night In where we rally a few of our favoritebloggers together to share a space in their home after that photogenic afternoon light goes down. It’s intimate. It’s real. And in my opinion, it’s incredibly cozy. Nothing is better than when the sun goes down and your home can start shining from the inside. This time, everyone is sharing their kitchens at night!
Most of our readers know we like to entertain and have people over for dinner–a large reason why we installed two ranges side by side in here. We usually have people over for dinner 2-3 times a week, but recently, with all of the projects we’ve be undertaking, it’s been a difficult time commitment to swing. That hasn’t stopped us or our passion for welcoming friends inside our home. Our friends had thebrilliant idea of having dessert instead of a full blown dinner and it’s been so much fun.It’s very casual, usually only goes for an hour, but still allows friends to get together to chat. Everyone inevitably alway ends up circled around the kitchen island and every time I get butterflies–this is what we dreamed this home and this kitchen would always be.
Chris isn’t a bigbaker, but he does make a few desserts that I request over and over. Including this crisp we served at our last Dessert Night.
Salted Caramel & Rosemary Apple Granola Crisp (Gluten Free)
Ingredients
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 cups rolled oats (gluten free if that’s what you’re going for)
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup honey
5 Pink Lady apples (or another tart eating apple)
5 Granny Smith apples
2 lemons, juiced
salt
1 stick salted butter
2 sprigs rosemary
2 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1 cup heavy cream
1.5 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup Mascarpone cheese
1 tsp bee pollen (optional)
Steps
1. Preheat oven to 350.
Make the Granola
2. In a dry pan, toast the almonds, pine nuts and rolled oats on medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes until just beginning to brown. Stir frequently to prevent burning.
3. Add the olive oil to the oats and toss to coat. Allow to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Reduce heat to low, add the honey, a pinch of salt and the chopped rosemary, toss to coat and allow to cook another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Spray a sheet of wax paper with cooking spray and remove the granola from the pan onto the wax paper to cool.
Prepare the Apples
5. Peel, core and slice the apples into slices about 1/2 inch thick. Toss in a bowl with the juice of the two lemons.
6. Add the apples to thecast-iron skillet with 1/2 cup of water and bring to a simmer on medium low heat. Cook until water evaporates, turn off heat.
Make the Caramel
7. In a separate pan, melt the butter. Add the rosemary sprigs and put on low heat, allowing the herbs to steep in the butter for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the rosemary stems.
8. Add the brown sugar and corn syrup to the butter on medium-low heat and gently simmer. While that is simmering, combine the cream and cornstarch and stir to break up any lumps.
9. Add the mascarpone cheese and cream slurry to the caramel and whisk to combine. If too thick to pour, add water 1 Tbsp at a time until proper consistency is reached.
10. Pour the caramel onto the apples in the cast-iron skillet. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, evenly spread the granola on top and sprinkle evenly with bee pollen (optional). Bake an additional 5-10 minutes until granola begins to brown – watch carefully to ensure it doesn’t burn.
Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
It’s so sogood and isn’t every dessert better when made in cast iron?We’re always asked what pots and pans Chris recommends, and we can never say Anolon fast enough–It’s the only pots and pans Chris uses. We have their full set of Nouvelle Copper Stainless Steel Cookware,a few of their cast iron pots and we just added this Anolon Vesta Cast Iron Cookware Skillet that we love to use for everything from baked eggs to desserts.
Of course it isn’t always friends and thoughtful desserts in here. Sometimes it looks more like homework or doing dishes or making popcorn or sneaking into the freezer at around 10pm for ice cream. What does your kitchen look like after dark? Are there dessert nights in your future?
See more of my favorite kitchens in the blogosphere and what their people do when the sun goes downthrough these links:
Yellow Brick Home | Hunted Interior | Deuce Cities Henhouse | The Makerista | Annabode| House Updated | LayBabyLay|
Grey Loves GreyA special thanks to Anolon for sponsoring this post and series. (We’re their biggest fans.) Want in on the next round?Use the hashtag #anightin and tag@yellowbrickhomeand@chrislovesjuliaon Instagram for a chance to be a part of next quarter’s installment!
You can see the previousA Night In, our reading room,right here.
