Apple Pie Cornucopia

After seeing another blogger create an edible cornucopia for a cheeseboard, I was inspired to create my own version. I brainstormed for a few days, but kept coming back to the same idea: apple pie. An ice cream cone-type pie dough creation is DOPE, but one shaped like a cornucopia? Well, that's just mind-blowing. So, this is how you make this magical creation:

For the cornucopia cone:

Start by making the structures that you will form your dough around. Cut 16 6-inch squares of aluminum foil. For each square, pull two opposite corners together and mold the foil into a cone shape. (TIP: it helps to fold over the edge at the mouth of the cone where the two sides meet. This helps to hold it together) When the cone is shaped to your liking, turn the tip of the cone up slightly to give it a cornucopia appearance. For each cone, create a ball of foil to go inside as a structural support. Set the foil balls aside.

For the edible cone, I used the Cup4Cup recipe for "Grandma's Pie Crust".

Ingredients:

3 cups Cup4Cup flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup butter, cubed and cold
1 large egg
1/2 cup cold buttermilk

Instructions:

1. Place all dry ingredients into a food processor and pulse to evenly distribute. (Or if you do not have a food processor, place dry ingredients into a large bowl.)

2. Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture, pulsing. (Or use a pastry cutter or fork to cut butter into the dry ingredients.)

3. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

4. Place mixture into a large bowl and set aside.

5. Combine the egg and the buttermilk together in a small bowl.

6. Create a well in the flour mixture, gradually whisk in the egg mixture with a fork.

7. Mix the dough until it forms a ball.

8. Allow dough to rest in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

9. Cut the dough into quarters. Using extra Cup4Cup flour for dusting a flat surface, roll out one portion of the dough to between 1/4 and 1/8 inch thickness. 

Here are where my instructions come in:

10. Using a pizza cutter, create strips that are 3/4 inch wide.

11. Grab a foil cone and, with one hand inside of the cone, begin wrapping a strip of dough around starting at the tip. As you wrap, make sure the dough overlaps the ring below it slightly. You'll want to lightly pinch the dough to itself in the overlapping area - use just enough pressure so that the dough is secure but does not lose its shape. When one strip runs out, grab another strip and pinch it into the first strip, picking up where you left off. Once you reach the top of the cone, trim the edge of the dough and pinch the end into the dough below. Place a foil ball inside of the cone and set your cornucopia onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat. (A quarter of the dough should make around 4 cornucopias)

12. (Optional) For a shimmery appearance, brush the cornucopia with a thin layer of cream and sprinkle with sugar.

13. Bake in a preheated oven at 350˚F.

14. Once golden brown, remove the cornucopias and allow them to cool with the aluminum still inside. Once cool, remove the aluminum ball and gently remove the aluminum cone. (TIP: Using a twisting motion helps when removing the aluminum cone)

For the filling:

Ingredients:

9 cups thinly slices apples cut into bite-size pieces
1 tbsp lemon juice
5 cups water
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
 

Instructions:

1. Toss the apples with the lemon juice and set aside.

2. Pour the water into a large pot over medium heat. In a bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Stir the dry ingredients into the water until combined and bring to a boil. Stirring constantly, boil until the mixture begins to thicken, about 1-2 minutes.

3. Stir the apples into the mixture and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the apples are tender, about 8 minutes.

4. Allow the mixture to cool so it's warm, not hot.

Assembly:

Gently spoon the apples into each cone and sprinkle with cinnamon. Add whipped cream if desired. Enjoy!