Saving the Peels

Being the apple-loving, apple-picking, apple-baking pair that my mom and I are, we are always left with a plethora of peels after a pie-making spree. In the "old days" when our Lab was still around, it was never a problem - she was our living, breathing garbage disposal! Nowadays, the compost bin gets packed to the brim with strips of perfectly flavourful apple peel that, to my mom and stepdad at least, are undesirable in pies, squares and applesauce. While I never minded a bit of peel in my baked goods (I thrive on the texture, which is probably why I love whole grain breads and cakes so much), I have no power to change the minds of the family. So I came up with a technique to save the peelings that would have a practical use down the line - dry them, then grind them down with good ol' table sugar. The result - a lightly apple-scented powdered sugar perfect for using in cookies or glazes (I suppose you could use it in pie too, but really, when your apples are this good you don't need any sugar!). I really hesitate to post this as a "recipe" because it is just so dead simple, but it's delicious and versatile - I'm hoping someone finds it of use!


What I Called "Newton's Apple"

By the way - this technique works really well with tomato peels (and kosher salt in place of the sugar) too!

Apple Sugar
Makes about 16 tsp
peels from 3 large apples
1/2 cup granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 200F, spray a cooling rack with non-stick spray.
2. Spread out the peels in one layer on the rack and place in the oven.
3. Bake until dry and brittle, about 2 hours. Let cool.
4. In a coffee or spice grinder, combine driend peels and sugar and process until fine and powdery. Store in an airtight container.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 26.4

Total Fat: 0.0 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 0.0 mg
Total Carbs: 6.8 g

Dietary Fiber: 0.5 g

Protein: 0.0 g

By the way, are you in Toronto and want a $40 dinner for two, free? Take a look at my giveaway to enter! You have less than a week left to put in for the draw - it closes November 4!