Apple Pie Soup

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This is a spiced dessert soup that is best served cold, in chilled bowls.

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It’s our favorite fruit and American as, well, its most popular baked good.

A new apple season is here, offering a crisp, sweet edge to fall meals plus the promise of lots of pie – and pie-inspired dishes.

What makes apples and apple pie so all-American?

“It brings people together,” said Ken Haedrich, author of “Apple Pie: 100 Delicious and Decidedly Different Recipes for America’s Favorite Pie.” “It’s the closest thing we have, food-wise, to a universal symbol of goodness and contentment.

“It manages to do this with unabashed honesty and not an ounce of pretense. It’s an edible reflection of America’s best character traits.”

In honor of 2011 as the “Year of the Pie,” Haedrich’s “Apple Pie” was re-released this month – just in time for the new apple crop.

Haedrich loves all sorts of apple pies, particularly those with a brown sugar crumb topping.

For pies, he prefers Winesap apples.

“It’s hard to find but worth looking for in an area where they’re grown. It’s the perfect blend of sweet, tart and juicy, with wonderfully complex flavor. Among the more common varieties, I like Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji and Jonathan.”

“My best advice: If you find an apple that makes a great pie, stick with it,” he said, “but don’t be afraid to experiment.”

The flavor of apple pie inspires variations such as Apple Pie Cookies, Apple Pie Salad and Apple Pie Soup.



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  • 8

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3 cups water
  • 3 cups apple cider
  • 4 large Granny Smith (or other tart apples), peeled, cored and sliced
  • 2/3 cup raisins
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 4 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons brandy, optional
  • 1 cup vanilla yogurt
  • Apple slices or chopped nuts, for garnish, optional

Preparation

Step 1

Combine the spices, water, cider, apple slices and raisins in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 6 hours or until apples are quite soft.

Puree the soup using an immersion blender or, if using a regular blender, a partial batch at a time, until all the apple solids and most of the raisins are pureed.

Stir in the lemon juice, honey and, if using, the brandy.

Chill several hours. Just before serving, whisk in the vanilla yogurt. Serve in chilled bowls, garnishing with apple slices or chopped nuts, if desired.

Nutrition Information:
Per serving
194 calories
Trace fat
2 g protein
47 g carbohydrates
2 mg cholesterol
2 g fiber
32 mg sodium

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