Come Dine Without Refined Sugar

Chantelle loves to cook and is always looking for ways to improvise in the kitchen. When their friend, Ysabel, was coming for dinner, she thought it was a perfect opportunity to be creative. “I’m constantly modifying recipes, and read about this challenge on the Ambrosia website. It sounded like fun,” she says.

Chantelle’s menu:

• White Cheddar and Ambrosia Apple Tart
• Bacon Wrapped Pork Medallion stuffed with Ambrosia Apple and Greyer
• Refined Sugar-Free Apple Betty
• Ambrosia apple cocktail 

“The tart appetiser was a perfect starter to our meal,” she says. “I saw a similar recipe for a Granny Smith and Havarti tart and it looked amazing so I decided to alter it for this. It ended up being our favourite dish of the night; the balance of the sweet and savoury flavours was really nice.”

“Pork and apple are a classic, but I didn’t want to make something basic,” Chantelle tells us. “I was seeing recipes online of cheese and apple stuffed pork so I decided to give that a go.”

For dessert, Chantelle adapted her grandmother’s Apple Betty Recipe. “Ysabel has a dietary restriction where she can’t eat refined sugar,” Chantelle explains. “I know that Ambrosia apples are naturally sweet, so I thought I’d try my Grandma’s Apple Betty recipe without the refined sugar and add a touch of honey instead. I think I’ll take some to my Grandma next time I visit her. I’m sure she’ll be impressed!”

Overall, Chantelle enjoyed the challenge, and Jake even came up with a refreshing signature cocktail. “I really enjoyed playing in the kitchen,” she says. “I’ve included the recipes if anyone would like to try.”

Thank you, Chantelle (and Jake)! Recipes are below:

White Cheddar and Ambrosia Apple Tart

Ingredients:

• 1-2 Ambrosia Apples
• 6 oz White Cheddar, Shredded
• 1 Sheet Puff Pastry
• Honey (for serving)
• Fresh Thyme (for serving)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425⁰F. Thinly slice apples. Roll out the thawed puff pastry on a lined baking sheet. Spread cheese all over the pastry. Leave a 1” border on all sides.Place the apples over the cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes (until the puff pastry is browned). After, baking drizzle the honey over it and garnish with fresh thyme. Cut and serve.

Bacon Wrapped Pork Medallion Stuffed with Ambrosia Apple and Gruyere

Ingredients:

• 6 Pork Medallions
• 1 Large Ambrosia apple (cleaned, cored, and Sliced into 1/8” pieces)
• 2-3 oz Gruyere Cheese (sliced into 12 pieces)
• 6 Slices of Bacon
• ½ Tbsp Chopped Fresh Thyme

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375⁰F. Spray 9×13” baking dish with non-stick spray (or grease). Make a deep slit in the side of each pork medallion (careful not to cut through the bottom or the sides). Sandwich each apple slice with cheese slices and insert into the medallion. Wrap each medallion with bacon, ensuring the slit is covered with bacon. Secure with toothpicks and place into the baking dish. Sprinkle the medallions with fresh chopped thyme. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the medallions are 140⁰. Allow them to rest for 10 minutes. Remove toothpicks and immediately serve.

Apple Betty (Free of Refined Sugar)

Ingredients:

• 4 Cups Ambrosia Apples (Peeled and cut into small cubes)
• ¼ cup Juice from Fresh Orange
• 2/3 Cup Honey
• ¾ Cup Sifted All Purpose Flour
• ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
• ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg
• ½ Cup Butter

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375⁰F. Mound apples in a buttered 9×13” baking dish.

Sprinkle with the fresh orange juice. Put the flour, honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a medium bowl. Cut in the butter until it is well mixed and somewhat crumbly. Sprinkle/spread over the apples. Bake for 45 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is crisp. Serve warm. (Optionally serve with ice cream or fresh cream).

Jake’s Signature Ambrosia Apple Cocktail

• ¼ Ambrosia Apple (skinned, cored, and cut into pieces)
• Juice from ½ an Orange
• 1 oz Gin
• ½ Oz Limoncello
• 7-Up
• Ice

In a cocktail shaker muddle the apple slices. Add the Juice from the orange, gin, limoncello, and ice to the shaker. Shake. Strain into ice filled glass. Fill to the top with 7-Up. Stir to combine. Garnish with a slice of Ambrosia apple and serve!