Swedish Apple Pie

This is an interesting recipe that is like a combination of cake and pie. I fell in love with it the first time I tried it. Now it's one of my favorite desserts when I'm craving something sweet but healthy. We like to pour milk over the top when we eat it, but it's also delicious plain.

Swedish Apple Pie
Source: Taste of Home

1/4-1/3 cup sugar (depending on your taste and the sweetness of the apples)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 medium tart apples, chopped (I don't peel them, but you can if you want)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted
Confectioners' sugar, optional
 
Directions:

• In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
• In a small bowl, whisk egg and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. This will make a big thick ball.
  
• Fold in apples and walnuts. As the apples are stirred in, some of their juices will release to make the batter a little thinner.

Transfer to a 9-in. pie plate coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar if desired. Serve warm. Yield: 8 servings.

Some tips:

- Toasting the nuts makes a huge difference in flavor! It also allows you to add fewer of them, saving you both calories and moolah. If you're short on time or feeling lazy, skip that part and I'm sure the recipe will still taste good. I just toast mine in a skillet because it's fast and easy.

-Use sweeter apples to reduce the amount of sugar you have to add to the recipe. I used galas and it turned out great.

-I use ground white spring wheat for all my baking. It is more tender and has a milder flavor than regular whole wheat, and has basically the same nutritional value. You can also use whole wheat pastry flour or 1/2 white, 1/2 wheat, which is what the recipe originally called for.