Ig's apple season, and time to bake pies

Even if we did not already know from observation, as well as the statistics of commercial bakers, that apple pie is the all around favorite variety, there are enough testimonials pened by apple pie aficionados to bear this out.

When our country was young some of this popularity may have been due to the fact that apples were abundant. By the time of the revolution they were considered our national fruit, but one visitor to our country in 1758 did not speak with much enthusiasm of our pies. He noted that "Apple pie is used through the whole year. In country places it is made of apples, neither peeled nor freed from their cores, and its crust is not broken if a wagon wheel goes over it."

You will find neither peelings nor cores in the following recipes, but some of these would surely surprise those early bakers because of additions such as dates, nuts, raisins, meringue, caramels, cottage cheese, and sour cream. Apple Sponge Pie 1-9 inch unbaked pie shell 4 cups cooking apples (about 5 medium), pared and sliced 2 tablespoons butter or margarine 1 tablespoon water 1/2 cup sugar 1 tablespoon flour 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon Sponge topping (recipe follows)

Combine apples, butter, or margarine and water in a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Blend together sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Add to apples in pan. Cover and cook over low heat, occasionally stirring gently, until apples are tender. Turn into baked pie shell. Spread with sponge topping.

Bake in a 350 degree F. ove 20 to 25 minutes. Top will be a deep golden brown and will spring back when touched lightly in center. Cool and serve. Sponge To Topping 2 egg yolks 1/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon flour 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind 2 tablespoons whipping cream 2 egg whites

Beat egg yolks until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating constantly until thick and ivory coloreD. Blend in flour. Fold in grated lemon rind and whipping cream. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold gently into egg yolk-sugar mixture. Apple-Date Pie Crust 1 cup sifted flour 1/4 teaspon salt 2 tablespoons sugar 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) 1/4 pound creamed small curd cottage cheese Filling 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs 6 large apples 1 8-ounce package pitted dates 1/2 cup sugar 3 tablespoons flour 3 tablespoons butter

To make crust, sift flour, salt, and sugar into a bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add cottage cheese and mix with a fork until a dough forms. Divide in half for top and bottom crusts. Roll bottom crust on a well-floured board. Fit into a 9-inch pie pan.

For filling, sprinkle bottom crust with bread crumbs. Peel, core, and slice apples and place in bowl. Add dates, sugar, and flour and mix until dates are dispersed and fruit is well coated with sugar and flour. Place apple mixture over bread crumbs in bottom crust. Dot with butter.

Roll remaining dough on well-floured board to make top crust and place loosely over filling. Seal edges and prick top crust generously. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Bake pie 10 minutes. Lower temperature to 350 degrees F. and bake 30 minutes more, or until crust is golden brown. Caramel Crunch Apple Pie 1 9-inch unbaked single pie shell 28 caramels 2 tablespoons water 6 cups tart cooking apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/3 cup butter or margarine 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Melt caramels with water in top of double boiler over boiling water or in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally until melted and smooth. Layer apples and caramel sauce alternately in pie shell.

In a small bowl combine flour, sugar, and cinnamon, mixing well. Cut in butter or margarine with a pastry blender or two knives until consistency of coarse crumbs. Stir in nuts. Preheat ove to 375 degrees F.Sprinkle flour mixture evenly over apples. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until done. Serves 6 to 8 . Apple Pie With Sour Cream Topping 5 large tart apples 1 tablespoon lemon juice 3/4 cup sugar 1/3 cup flour 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 cup butter or margarine 1/2 cup commercial sour cream

Peel and cut apples in thick slices and arrange them in overlapping rows in 9 -inch pastry lined pie pan. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cut in butter or margarine until crumbly. Spoon over apples. Spread sour cream over top. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 25 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F. and bake until apples are tender, 20 to 25 minutes longer. Macaroon Apple Pie 6 to 8 tart apples 2 tablespoons flour 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon cloves 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon Topping 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup sugar 1 egg 1/2 cup flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup flaked coconut

Core, peel, and thinly slice apples until you have 6 cups. Place in a large bowl. Mix together dry ingredients with lemon rind and juice. Add to apples, tossing lightly until well coated. Place in a buttered 9-inch glass pie plate and bake in a preheated 375 degree F. oven for 20 minutes while preparing the topping.

With electric mixer, cream butter with sugar. Add egg and continue beating. Sift dry ingredients together ad add to creamed mixture. Add vanilla and coconut. Spread over surface of hot apples and bake 30 minutes longer or untl crust is golden brown. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.