Browndog's apple post reminded me that apple season is drawing to a close.

Grandmother's Apple Cake

5 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup sugar

1 cup AP flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 medium baking apples

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Here's the recipe for the Normandy Apple Bread that I blogged about. It's from Jeffrey Hammelman's Bread. I made a few minor changes -- here's how I did it.

I love apples, and, at the Corvallis farmer's market, apples have been abundant lately. Everything from relatively new varieties like Liberty, to old varieties like Spitzenburg, to unusual European apples that are rarely seen in the U.S.

Amazingly nice weather here today. Supposed to be rainy all week, but today was definitely a day to be outside.

That said, while I was planting bulbs I had a loaf rising.

I did a white poolish bread that turned out excellent.

I gave this about 10 minutes in the Kitchen Aid and very little yeast. I was very pleased with the crumb.

I've recently begun an apple starter. I let the apples sit in water and sugar for about 4 days. It was getting dark and very strong in smell. I added most of the liquid to bread flour to begin the starter. The day after it began bubbling. On the second day, however, I noticed what I thought looked like mold on top. I skimmed this off then placed it in the fridge. It has some bubbles even in the fridge and doesn't look like it has funky stuff on top. It does have a very strong apple scent.

Do you think that it is safe to continue with this starter?

I found instructions to make an apple bread in a vintage American cook book by J. L. Croly (1870) which simply indicated to use 1 part of pureed stewed apples and two parts of flour plus salt and yeast, using either white or Graham flour.

The result is a really good bread. Full recipe is here http://bakinghistory.wordpress.com/2007/07/14/apple-bread/

I made a delicious sweet focaccia with granny smith apples sprinkled with thyme and sugar. Incredible flavours coming together. It went over very well with family and friends. I think next time I will use a more tart apple.

I also made a wonderful strawberry rhubarb pie with a crumb topping. I love rhubarb and mine is coming along nicely in the garden.

Qahtan inspired me to make these...

I used Whole wheat pastry flour.

I think the ww pastry flour gave these a really nice flavour. They were yummy, can't wait to make these again :)