Mela e lamponi nel cartoccio con gelato

(Apples in parchment with raspberries and gelato)

If you’ve seen the April 2011 issue of La Cucina Italiana, you might have come across this recipe.

Now, my recipe didn’t come out quite like the one in the magazine, but I drew my idea from it. The title might baffle you, but you read it correctly, ‘apples in parchment.’ La Cucina Italiana, features several recipes that are prepared in parchment, which “seals in heat and roasts the ingredients in their juices.”

Well, I saw this recipe and had a completely different idea come to mind. Replace the parchment with phyllo dough. Also, the original recipe, in my opinion, was lacking. So, Mama and I came up with a new way of improvising. Our version of mela e lamponi will no doubt please you. In fact, I like to think of it has a gift wrapped in dough.

Neatly folded and tightly packaged, this dessert is filled with fruit, preserves, nuts, spices and a little bit of sugar. And believe it or not, it takes only minutes to prepare.

This will be my last post this month. I make note of that not only because it is the last day of the month, but also because my next post will be the Boston Cream Pie I mentioned a little while back. Yes, my birthday is this coming week, and I promised I would make myself that cake, despite the 40 day healthy baking pledge I took.

Until then, Mama and I give you our own Mela e lamponi nel cartoccio con gelato!


Baked Apples wrapped in Phyllo
(Semi-Adapted from La Cucina Italiana, April 2011)

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 17 minute

8 sheets of phyllo dough
2 Golden Delicious Apples, peeled and sliced
4 tablespoons Raspberry Jam
3 Tablespoons Orange Marmalade
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided
Juice of half a lemon- About 2-3 tablespoons
½ cup chopped almonds
1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
1 teaspoon ground cloves, divided
4 tablespoons butter, melted
5 tablespoons Demerara Sugar or Sugar in the Raw

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Begin with an 8-inch round buttered baking dish.
1. Place one sheet of phyllo dough and drizzle some butter over the dough.
2. Place another sheet down and spread 1 tablespoon of the raspberry jam.
3. Place another sheet of phyllo dough. Spread 1 tablespoon of marmalade and now add apple slices over marmalade. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and add ¼ cup almonds, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon cloves, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons raw sugar. Cover with one sheet of phyllo dough.

Now start from step one and repeat each layer.

Fold phyllo sheets over, and drizzle left over butter (if need be, melt another tablespoon or so). Sprinkle the last tablespoon of raw sugar over the top.

Place in the oven and bake for approximately 17-20 minutes. Transfer to wire rack. This can be served immediately or cooled. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar, or to your liking, add a scoop of low fat ice cream!

xx,
Tammy