Thursday 29 October 2020

conjuring good orchard witches


doesn’t this apple look like its from a fairy tale? 

i am sure it is magical!




we still have idared and mutsu apples to pick! 




no need to be frightened..

the orchards are much less ominous during the day!









we hope you can drop in for a spell…

and be enchanted by our pumpkins. 

warty, wrinkly, bumpy, stinkly! 

(ok..i might have made up that word!)







isn’t hallowe’en such a fun season? 













do you know where one can find eye of newt and toe of frog?

asking for a friend, or three. 











conjuring all the good witches so you may enjoy 

our last two days to be open this year, 

and a safe hallowe’en. 

scary hugs,

laura


Thursday 22 October 2020

yes there are plenty of apples left to pick!

apples and pumpkins and squash oh my!




granny smith apples are our last variety to pick.

you will still find plenty of other varieties too..

mutsu, jonagold, idared, empire, smoothie and russet apples are still available. 



granny smith

   

mark calls ours the blushing granny!

they are originally from australia and named after maria smith,

the woman who propagated them from a chance seedling.

one of the most tart, hard, and crisp apples on the farm…

a terrific apple for salads, or slipped into a grilled cheese sandwich.

they are a fabulous all purpose apple, baking well in tarts, crisps and pies. 



ohh the choices…













we have lots of pumpkins with personality to take home!




…and so many types of squash!

the kids grew a test plot of specialty varieties this year. 

they look like they are from a fairy tale!









we also have the regulars…







isn’t it lovely noticing all the changes in our valley? 

autumn in the orchard is pretty special!












we are looking forward to seeing you this weekend. 

warmly,

laura


carl laidlaw orchards







Thursday 15 October 2020

plenty

we still have apples for you to pick!



our mutsu apples are ready!

empire, idared, and jonagold, apples are plentiful.

there are some 

smoothie and red delicious apples available too.



mustu




these are such a fantastic late harvest apple to enjoy…

sweet, with a delicate tart finish. 

they are a little smaller this year, and there are a few less to pick 

because of a late spring frost, but still wonderful.

do you have any caramel sauce left over from the caramel apple cake recipe?

 dip a slice or two into the sauce. it’s even better if you close your eyes. 

a pretty dreamy combination…

tart, salty and sweet; crisp and silky creamy.  





have you visited our pumpkin patch?

have you tried our apple cider?

have you savoured our famous scones from blossom bakery?

have you seen the salmon in the credit river?













autumn in our orchard is quite magical.
and getting a little spooky.
looking forward to seeing you.

hugs

laura


carl laidlaw orchards




Friday 9 October 2020

caramel apple cake

caramel apple cake

as promised… 




a delicious cake that is full of spices, nuts and apples, 

hugged with caramel frosting and kissed with a salted caramel sauce.

adapted from bobbette and belle’s gorgeous cookbook.





3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

rounded 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

rounded 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1 1/4 cups unsweetened apple sauce

1/2 cup plain yoghurt or sour cream 

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature 

4 large eggs

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 apple peeled, cored and finely chopped



preheat the oven to 350°f.

grease three 9 inch round cake pans with butter and then line the bottoms with parchment paper.

alternatively you can use two 8 inch springform pans…they are deeper.


in a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.


in a separate bowl, stir together apple sauce, yoghurt and vanilla.

in the bowl of a mixer, with the paddle attachment, cream the sugar and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy.


beat in eggs one at a time, beating well and stopping to scrape the sides down before adding the next egg. 


add the applesauce mixture and beat well.


with the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture blending until just incorporated and stopping once to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the walnuts and chopped apple. 


divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.


bake for 30 ish minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

if using the deeper 8 inch pans, they require about 55 minutes of baking.


allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them onto a wire rack to cool completely.


they will be easier to assemble and frost if you chill them first. 


cut off the domes to make an even, flat surface.

assemble and frost…







caramel frosting


1 1/3 cup unsalted butter

2 1/2 cups packed brown sugar 

1  cup 35% cream

1 teaspoon salt

5  cups of icing sugar, sifted.


melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.

add the brown sugar, cream and salt. 

cook for 3 minutes.

transfer the mixture to a large bowl to cool for about 15 minutes. 


place the icing sugar in the bowl of a mixer. 

add the cooled caramel a little at a time until you reach the desired consistency.

i didn’t use all of this caramel sauce in the frosting, and used this to drizzle over the cake, instead of the salted caramel sauce.  

the recipe for the salted caramel sauce that was recommended as the drizzle follows. 


place a dab of the frosting on your cake board to hold the cake in place.

spoon a large dollop of frosting in the centre of your cake. spread an even 1/3 inch layer with an offset spatula. 


place the next cake layer, cut side down on this. 

repeat the frosting step if you are doing a 3 layer cake.


give the whole cake a ‘crumb coat” of icing…

a very thin, see through layer of frosting.

this step will prevent crumbs from getting mixed in your frosting. 

chill the cake again for 30 minutes. 

frost the cake and drizzle with the caramel sauce. 






caramel sauce


2 cups of granulated sugar

1 cup 35 % cream

1/2 teaspoon salt. 


in a medium saucepan, heat 1/2 cup of sugar over medium high heat, stirring constantly so the sugar does not burn.

once the sugar has melted and is a light golden colour, add another 1/2 cup sugar. continue to caramelize the sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until all the sugar has been added and the caramel is a deep golden colour.


reduce the heat  to medium low and slowly add the cream.

add the salt and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until all the hard sugar bits have been dissolved and the caramel sauce has come to a boil.

remove from the heat and cool before serving. 

the sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.

caramel sauce is absolutely dreamy to dip sliced apples into!





i hope you are well and enjoying this slow paced long weekend. 

it’s rare that we aren’t open for the thanksgiving weekend.

it’s also rare that we can’t be with our big, beautiful family.

i am so looking forward to a day when we can all share a leisurely meal together

 and hold hands, and laugh (i might cry too) and reminisce and plan and cherish every single moment! 

big hugs,

laura





carl laidlaw orchards


Wednesday 7 October 2020

closed for thanksgiving

 we will be closed this entire thanksgiving long weekend, including friday. 



this was not an easy decision for us, but with covid cases increasing, 

we feel this is the right one.

we know its very disappointing…we are sad too. 

we have been very fortunate to be a part of your family’s tradition throughout the years.

 that is quite a privilege!

we are very thankful for your support.  







wishing everyone a healthy, safe, happy thanksgiving. 

be well. 


hugs from our family,

laura, mark, spencer and margo