Fried Apples with Mascarpone Cheese & Honey

It's apple picking season! And if you are lucky enough to get to an apple orchard this season, go and have a great time! The weather is perfect for it. It's cool and crisp outside and soon enough, there will be crackling leaves under foot. Wear a cozy sweater and enjoy some hot apple cider, on your walk through the orchard. It's a magically time of year, to be enjoyed. As you arrive home, with an eager heart, dumping out those apples onto the kitchen table, keep this recipe in mind. You can make these the minute you get home from the orchard and have that apple pie craving satisfied, quickly. Try to use crisp apples and if you are unsure, ask the people at the orchard if the apples would be suitable for frying. And eat them nice and hot. Enjoy!

• 2 apples, peeled and sliced about a 1/4 inch thick (I used Golden Delicious & Granny Smith)
• 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• a pinch of pumpkin pie spice
• flour for dredging
• milk (I use a little at a time, as needed)
• canola oil for frying
• 1/2 cup Mascarpone cheese
• 1 oz. light cream
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• honey

Start out by making your Mascarpone cheese spread, so it's ready for the hot fried apples. Using a whisk, combine the Mascarpone cheese, light cream and vanilla extract. Add a pinch of cinnamon if you like, to the dip. Set aside until the apples are ready. Set up your breading station, plates for the flour and bread crumbs, and a nice small bowl for the milk. Have an empty plate for the breaded apples. Into the bread crumbs, add the cinnamon and the pumpkin pie spice and combine well. First dredge the apples in the flour, followed by the milk and lastly in to the breadcrumbs. Heat up the canola oil in a heavy bottomed pan, on medium heat until nice and hot. Once hot, carefully put in the breaded apple slices. Fry each side for about 2 minutes, until golden brown. Try not to crowd the pan, and drain on paper towels. Set up your plate with the apples, Mascarpone cheese and honey. This serves 2, double as needed, figuring an apple per person.