Our Favorite Apple Bread… When it comes to making this delicious Shookhill Apple Bread, the type of apple you use really makes a difference in flavor and texture. We bought our apples at Windy Hill Orchard, and for this recipe, we opted for a mix of Fuji and Honeycrisp apples. – Fuji apples are known for their sweetness and firm texture, which holds up beautifully when baked. They bring a lovely, sugary crunch to the bread. – Honeycrisp apples add a balanced flavor—sweet with just the right amount of tartness—and stay juicy even after cooking, ensuring each bite is full of fresh apple taste. If you’re looking for other apple varieties that work well for baking, consider Granny Smith for a tart punch or Gala for a mellow sweetness. But for this recipe, the Fuji-Honeycrisp combo was just perfect, adding layers of flavor and texture that make this bread irresistible! This is a simple and delicious apple bread, baked in a bundt cake pan. It’s perfect for cozy fall mornings or as a treat any time of year. Next time you’re at a local orchard or the market, grab a few different apple varieties to see which mix works best for you. This delicious apple bread is a crowd-pleaser, blending the sweetness of apples with a hint of banana and the warmth of cinnamon. Whether you’re serving it at breakfast or as an afternoon snack, it’s sure to be a hit!
Cooking
If You Can’t Take The Heat…
Get Out Of The Kitchen… Beating the August Heat with a Classic Icebox Cake If you’re feeling the scorching summer heat like we are here in North Carolina, you might find yourself avoiding the kitchen as much as possible. The old saying, “if you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen,” couldn’t be more fitting this first week of August. It’s been HOT outside – let’s make a classic icebox cake! Despite the high temperatures, we still want to make a special dessert for a birthday celebration without turning on the oven. Enter one of our favorite childhood treats: the icebox cake. This delightful, no-bake dessert is perfect for keeping cool while satisfying your sweet tooth. Now, for those who remember, the classic icebox cake traditionally used Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers. Sadly, these beloved wafers are no longer available. But don’t fret! We’ve found a fantastic substitute in Dewey’s Brownie Crisp Cookies. They bring a rich, chocolatey flavor that pairs beautifully with whipped cream. For a fun twist, we’re also testing out a second version using Biscoff cookies (fingers crossed). Graham crackers or other thin wafers will also work with this cake style. Here’s how to make your own refreshing icebox cake: Ingredients: Dewey’s Brownie Crisp Cookies (or other thin wafer cookie) 2 cups Heavy whipping cream 2 TBLS Caster sugar 1 TBLS Vanilla extract Instructions: Whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla until it forms stiff peaks. In a dish lined with plastic wrap (we used a silicone loaf pan), cover the bottom and sides of the pan with a generous layor of whipped cream (about 1/3 inch). Next layer the cookies with whipped cream and stack them in a row in the pan. Gently press the cookies to make sure they are tightly set in the cream. Repeat the layers until you’ve used all your ingredients, ending with a layer of whipped cream. Use the remaining whipped cream to cover the top so no cookie edges are showing. Use the excess plastic wrap to cover the top of the cake. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight if you can, to let the cookies soften and meld with the cream. Garnish with the leftover cookie crumbs, and be sure to slice the cake in the opposite direction of cookie stacks so you get the striped layer presentation. That’s it! A simple, delicious dessert that keeps you cool and out of the kitchen. Whether you’re using Dewey’s Brownie Crisp Cookies or experimenting with another thin wafer cookie, this throwback icebox cake is sure to be a hit at your next summer gathering.