Honey-Gravenstein Apple Parcels

If you are celebrating the arrival of the  Jewish New Year, or the first week of autumn, or just love seasonal apples, this is a cute way to bring apple with honey to your table inside a different, elegant and healthy package.

I was lucky enough to find some delicious Gravenstein apples in my local market, which brought all the flavors needed to make these morsels so irresistible. If you've never tasted one of these apples before, I promise you will never forget them: their sweetness and tartness are unique.

From today, we will also celebrate the arrival of autumn with a series of recipes that bring apples to your plate. Enjoy!

And, before we forget, have a sweet (and very healthy) new year!

Apple Parcels

I adapted this from a very basic recipe by Great American Home Baking. I mainly changed all the ingredients and used Israeli date honey to finish it, but I believe any clover honey will do. Also, this recipe is vegan, with no animal fat in it and, therefore, zero cholesterol. 

Pastry
3/4 cup white whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup canola oil spread (such as Healthy Balance)
1 tablespoon organic brown turbinado sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon flaxseed meal mixed in three tablespoons of water
1 tablespoon almond milk
1 teaspoon ground cardamom

Filling
2 chopped, unpeeled Gravenstein apples (golden delicious, the ones shown in the photo, will work fine too!)
1/2 tablespoon turbinado sugar
zest of half a lemon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425 F. On a work surface or in a bowl, mix flour, vegetable spread, and all other pastry ingredients, working the dough with a pastry cutter or two forks. When the crumbly dough is finally formed, reserve on the side. Add more almond milk, if necessary, to bind the dough.

To make the filling, simmer chopped apples in their own juice with the sugar and cinnamon for about 20 minutes until the apples are tender but not yet applesauce-like.

Meanwhile, roll out the dough on a floured surface and cut the squares into the desired size with the help of a pizza cutter. Spoon the apples in the middle of each square and, with the tips of your fingers, bring the corners to the center and pinch to seal and close the parcels. Brush honey on top. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes until the crust is golden.