KJL's TV Dinners: "Gilmore Girls" Christmas Apple Tarts

We're in the middle of the holiday season. You're busy shopping, baking, attending holiday parties, and more. As I have already expressed on my blog, the holidays are my favorite time of the year. I love everything about this season, but especially spending time with my family.

Gilmore Girls is a modern take on the word "family." Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) gave birth to her daughter, Rory (Alexis Bledel), when she was just 16 years old. She had to raise her as a single mother. She moved away from her parents, moving to the charming small town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut. She finally found work as a manager of an inn.

She is best friends with Rory. Lorelai and Rory are the ultimate mother-daughter goals. They're best friends first and mother-daughter second.

Gilmore Girls (photo/Biography.com)

Lorelai's relationship with Rory is very different than her relationship with her parents, especially her mother, Emily (Kelly Bishop). They have never gotten along, even when Lorelai was a child. They argue over the smallest things and they always hold grudges that last for weeks.

That's what happens in the memorable Christmas episode from the show's first season, titled "Forgiveness and Stuff." Lorelai and Emily had a fight in the previous episode (about Rory accidentally staying out all night with her boyfriend, Dean). To Lorelai's surprise, Emily uninvites her to the Gilmore family's annual Christmas dinner. Of course, Lorelai is surprised and Rory attends the party without her.

Gilmore Girls episode "Forgiveness and Stuff" (photo/Pinterest).

Lorelai is clearly upset, but she's also disappointed she will miss out on one important thing about the Christmas dinner: the apple tarts.

Lorelai Gilmore loves the apple tarts. She has made up songs about the tarts. She waits all year for them. It's one of her favorite things about attending the annual Christmas dinner. In fact, it might be the only thing she likes about attending the formal party with her parents and their rich friends.

Because apple tarts are a famous food mentioned on Gilmore Girls, I'm featuring the holiday dessert this month. This warm, comforting recipe is delicious by itself and it's the perfect dish to offer at a holiday party. It's a simple dessert people can pick up and eat while socializing.

Of course, my recipe is a little different than what the Gilmores served (we never actually saw the apple tarts). My recipe resembles apple dumplings. So, if you're a fan of apple dumplings, you'll be a fan of this dessert.

Apple Tarts

To bake the tarts, you will need the following ingredients:

• 5-6 Granny Smith apples
• Butter 
• Sugar 
• Cinnamon
• 2 8-oz. cans refrigerated crescent roll dough 

For the syrup, you will need the following ingredients:

• 1 c. sugar
• 2 c. hot water 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and butter a 9x13-inch pan. Peel and core the apples. Cut each apple in half. Sprinkle cinnamon and approximately 1 teaspoon of sugar on each apple. Then, put a pat of butter (approximately 1 tablespoon) in the center of the apple. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll piece, wrapping the dough around the apple. 

Transfer the tarts to the baking pan. Put small diced pieces of apples around the tarts to fill up the pan. 

For the syrup, add 2 cups of hot water to a heated saucepan, then add 1 cup of sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and pour the entire syrup mixture over the prepared tarts. Bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until the tarts are golden brown and crispy on top. Sprinkle additional cinnamon on top of the baked apple tarts. Serve warm and enjoy! 

Are you going to be like Lorelai Gilmore and make up a song about these apple tarts? I wouldn't blame you if you did. They're definitely worthy of being celebrated. 

Happy holidays!

-KJL-