April brings Arbor Day, a day to celebrate trees. Trees not only provide beauty and shelter and help clear the air, but they also bear abundant forms of edible gifts. From fruits to nuts to sap, this month’s food page features a variety of recipes using ingredients derived from trees. Pictured is Fancheon Resler’s “Orange Brownies” that uses oranges and, if you desire, pecans.
Food preparation by Emily Schilling/Photo by Richard G. Biever
Celebrate Arbor Day
with gifts from treesOrange Brownies1⁄2 cup butter or margarine
1⁄4 cup baking cocoa
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
3⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
1⁄2 cup chopped pecans, optional
2 T. orange juice concentrate
1 T. grated orange peel
1⁄8 t. saltGrease an 8-inch square pan. Melt butter or margarine in microwave for 30 seconds or until melted. Stir in cocoa and beat until smooth; set aside. In large bowl, beat eggs until frothy. Without stirring, add sugar, flour, pecans, orange juice concentrate, peel and salt. Pour cocoa mixture over top and then mix well. Using a spatula, pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake at 350 F for 25-28 minutes.
Frosting:11⁄2 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 T. baking cocoa
3 T. butter or margarine, softened
3 T. orange juice concentrate
1 T. grated orange peel
Beat together all ingredients until smooth. Spread over cooled brownies and cut into squares. Yield: 16 brownies.
Fancheon Resler, Bluffton, Ind.Caramel Apple BarsCrust:1⁄2 cup butter
1⁄4 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
13⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup quick oats
1 t. salt
1⁄2 t. baking soda
1⁄2 cup chopped pecans
In mixing bowl, cream butter, shortening and brown sugar until fluffy. Add flour, oats, salt and baking soda. Mix well. Stir in pecans. Set 2 cups aside. Press remaining oat mixture into bottom of ungreased 13-by-9-by-2-inch pan.
Filling:41⁄2 cups chopped apples
3 T. all-purpose flour
1 pkg. (14 oz.) caramels
3 T. butterToss apples with flour. Spoon over crust. In saucepan, melt caramels and butter over low heat. Drizzle over apples. Top with reserved oat mixture. Bake at 400 F for 25-30 minutes. Cool before cutting.
Amanda Kay Graber, Odon, Ind.Maple Walnut Layer Cake with Fluffy Maple Frosting33⁄4 cups self-rising flour
1⁄2 t. ground ginger
3⁄4 cup soft butter
1⁄2 cup sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
11⁄2 cups pure maple syrup
3⁄4 cup hot water
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and lightly flour two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans, then line bottoms with waxed paper. In a large bowl, sift together flour and ginger; set aside. In another large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until well-combined. Gradually beat in maple syrup. Add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the water, beating after each addition until smooth. Divide batter between pans and bake 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks. Frost with Fluffy Maple Frosting.
Frosting:2 egg whites
1⁄2 cup maple syrup
3⁄4 cup sugar
1⁄4 t. cream of tartar
1⁄4 t. salt
1 t. vanilla
1⁄4 t. maple extract
1 cup chopped walnutsIn the top of a double boiler, combine first five ingredients. Cook over boiling water, beating constantly with electric mixer on medium-high speed, until mixture stands in peaks (5-7 minutes). Remove from heat. Add extracts and continue beating 1 minute more until thick enough to spread. Frost bottom layer. Sprinkle with about 1/3 cup chopped walnuts. Put on top layer and frost entire cake. Sprinkle top of cake with remaining nuts.
Charlotte Rymph, Monterey, Ind.