Snow Globe Moments

The weather certainly was cooperative providing just the ambiance needed as I worked on a snow globe poem. The thick wet flakes seem to be gathering speed by the minute blanketing everything in sight.

Today is the birthday of civil engineer Gustave Eiffel. He was born in Dijion, France 1832. He was the chief engineer for the Statue of Liberty and Eiffel Tower which was built for the Paris World's Fair in 1889. It certainly is a testament to his engineering skills as the Eiffel Tower has withstood the elements of time and weather.

Vintage Eiffel Tower Snow Globe

The exact origin of the snow globe is unknown. But most experts believe the snow globe concept sprung from the paperweight. The first documented snow globe was an Eiffel Tower globe that appeared at the 1889 Paris Exhibition.
The snow globe trend got a late start in the United States. They first began to appear in the 1920's.  Most featured cities and were sold as souvenirs. The snow globes were mostly manufactured in Germany till 1927 when the U.S received their own patent. To keep costs lower in the 1950's snow globes were beginning to be made from plastic. Over the decades lights, movements, music, themes and characters have became incorporated in the snow globe.
I am sure many of us have fond memories of buying or receiving a snow globe at some point in our lives. When our first beloved lab died she was immortalized with her picture inside a snow globe as a reminder of her passing away in the winter.

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Apple Cream Cheese Torte

Cooking tips added throughout the recipe

Wrap outside of a 9 inch springform pan that has 2- 3/4 inch sides with foil

Crust

• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) softened
• 1-1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• less than 1/8 cup water use only as needed

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients with beater just to get it blended 
• With hands using fingertips gather dough into a ball-the dough will be kneaded and may need a bit of moisture only till dough mixture sticks together (sprinkle/dribble only a little water on at a time if needed)
• Place dough in center of springform pan with hands work out dough from center till cover the bottom of the pan to 3/4 inch of sides  
• Freeze pan 10 minutes and preheat oven to 400 at this time 
• Bake crust 8 minutes-remove from oven and reduce temperature to 350

Optional crust made from gingersnap cookies

In a food processor crumble enough store bought gingersnap cookies to equal 2-1/2 cups

Add to food processor 5 TB. melted butter and 1 tsp. cinnamon to cookie mixture

Pat in bottom of springform pan place in freezer for 5 minutes then bake 7 minutes at 400

Reduce heat to 350 and proceed with recipe by pouring filling over gingersnap crust and adding apple topping mixture

Bake 35-40 minutes

Filling

• 1-8- oz. cream cheese
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Directions;

Beat all ingredients and pour over crust

Topping;

• In a bowl add 1/3 cup sugar mixed with 1 tsp. cinnamon
• Chop 2 Granny Smith apples and mix into cinnamon/sugar mixture

Directions:

• Place apple mixture on top of cream cheese mixture
• Sprinkle with almonds
• Bake about 45- 50 minutes until crust is golden and apples are tender
• Refrigerate any leftovers