Singer/Chef Cooper Boone Shows Off Apple-Inspired Foods

Country singer and host of the online cooking show Cooper's Kitchen, Cooper Boone, stopped by to show us how to make his Apple Blossom Cocktail. He also brought in some Apple Butter Crumble.

For more on Cooper Boone, visit CoopersKitchenUSA.com.

Cooper's Recipes:

Apple Blossom Special Cocktail“This cocktail rocks! It’s fresh and good for every season. Using my Apple Infused Simple syrup you will wow your friends and family.”
Serves 12
Ingredients:
1 bottle dry white wine (like sauvignon blanc)
2 ¼ cups simple syrup apple (see recipe)
1 ½ cups gin
1 ½ cups dry vermouth
Juice from ½ a lemon
1-1 ½ cups soda water (about 12 oz)
Apple slices and star anise, for garnish

Instructions:
1. Fill a large pitcher with ice. Pour in all ingredients except soda
water. Stir with a spoon.
2. Top with soda water and garnish with apple slices and star anise, if desired. Serve in tumblers.

Apple Infused Simple Syrup“I wanted to use the leftover peels and cores from my Butter Apple Crumble recipe. Here it is! An autumnal syrup that’s great for pancakes, French toast, ice cream and cocktails!”
Makes about 3 cups
Ingredients:
3 cups light brown sugar
3 cups water
Cores and peels of 6 Granny Smith apples (leftover from some other recipe)
4 cinnamon sticks
1 vanilla bean

Instructions:
1. Combine sugar, water, apple cores and peels and cinnamon sticks in a large pot. Split vanilla bean, scrape out seeds and add seeds and pod to pot.
2. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Once mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook so apple cores soften, about 30 minutes. As they soften, mash up cores occasionally with a whisk or wooden spoon. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
3. Strain cooled syrup into a clean storage jar, squeezing syrup from cooked apple cores to extract more flavor (if you want you can add cinnamon sticks and vanilla bean back into syrup…this will only intensify the flavor). Store in refrigerator

Apple Butter Crumble
“Simple, earthy and crazy makin’ good.”
Serves 8
Apple Filling:
7 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced on the thicker side
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup flour

Butter Crumble Topping:
1 cup flour
1 cup softened butter
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 cup quick oats
1 ½ cups of whole pecans
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients of the Apple Filling in a large mixing bowl thoroughly. Fill baking dish ¾ to the top. (either a pie tin or oblong baking dish). In a separate bowl, mix together Butter Crumble Topping (easiest to use your hands to mix). Spread topping over apple filling until it forms a nice high mound. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown. Let cool for 15 minutes then serve with your favorite ice cream!

This recipe takes 15 minutes to prepare. You can either bake it in a round, rectangle or square dish. Hey, you can even bake these it in separate ramekins if you wanna get fancy!

Food For Thought:
Add your favorite seasonal fruits to the filling! I love apples and rhubarb or blueberries!
Serve warm with whipped cream, crème freche, yogurt or vanilla ice cream