Apple and Honey Pie Pops

By Sheri Silver

(The Nosher via JTA) — Like most Jewish holidays, Rosh Hashanah brings to mind certain traditional food customs – the most well-known being the dipping of apples in honey.

And while a classic apple pie or cake is a lovely way to commemorate our hopes for a “sweet new year,” I thought it would be fun to change things up a bit. These apple and honey pie “pops” are a cinch to make – and even more fun to eat! They can be assembled (and frozen) in advance, and are especially nice to serve for a crowd – no cutting or forks needed!

Even better, you only need a few simple ingredients, yet wind up with something truly delicious – and a little different. Sweet indeed.

Ingredients:
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 package (2 crusts) refrigerated pie crusts, set out at room temperature for 15 minutes
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
raw or “sanding” sugar, for sprinkling

Special equipment:
2- to 3-inch cookie cutter (or drinking glass)
lollipop sticks

Directions:
In a medium pan combine the apples, sugar, honey, cinnamon and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the apples have softened and the juices have thickened. Remove from heat and let cool.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Unroll one pie crust on a work surface. Use your cutter to make as many circles as you can; place on your prepared baking sheets. Put a lollipop stick in the center of each circle, pressing down lightly to secure. Place a teaspoon of cooled filling on each circle. Use a pastry brush to brush a bit of the beaten egg around the edge of each circle.

Unroll the second pie crust and cut out an equal number of circles to the first crust – place atop the filled crusts and press lightly to seal. Crimp the edges with a fork, and make a few small incisions in the center to allow steam to escape. Brush tops with the egg and sprinkle with the raw sugar (pops may be frozen at this point – reheat directly from the freezer, adjusting baking time by a few extra minutes).

Bake pops for 20 minutes; transfer trays to wire racks to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature (pops may be kept tightly sealed, at room temperature, for 3-5 days).

(Sheri Silver writes the blog Donuts, Dresses and Dirt [http://sherisilver.com/], where she shares her passions for baking and cooking, gardening and shopping, and her adventures in and around New York City with her husband and three children.)