Tuesday 22 July 2014

Recipe: Tarte aux pommes


Pastry, sweet short crust:

125g butter 
250g plain flour
50g icing sugar
2 egg yolks
Extra water to bind if needed
Filling: 
6-9 apples depending on size.
Warmed apricot jam (optional)

  1. Set oven to 180 degrees Celsius (fan)
  2. Crumb together butter, sugar and icing sugar.
  3. Add yolks  to bind together, add a spoon full of water if needed. The pastry should be on brink of crumbliness and not sticking to side of bowl. Form pastry into a ball and refrigerate whilst you do the next step.
  4. Peel, core and quarter 4-6 apples then place in pan with enough water to half cover the apples
  5. Boil apples until they are just soft. Remove the apples from the liquid but retain liquid for a tasty drink later
  6. In a bowl mash or blend the apples until smooth. Add sugar to taste if needed.
  7. Get pastry out of fridge and roll out to about half an inch thick and wide enough to line dish. Place pastry in the dish and ensure there is a small amount of over hang on the top and that the pastry is water tight. Prick the base of the pastry with a fork all over. 
  8. Cover the pastry with baking paper then a layer of dried beans, baking beads or similar. Place into the preheated oven for 15 minutes then remove paper and beans/beads. Cook for a further 10 minutes.
  9. Whilst the pastry is blind baking thinly slice the remaining apples.
  10. Spread the apple puree in the bottom of the baked pastry then place a layer of sliced apples on the top, this can be either neat or you could go for a more rustic look.
  11. Place in the oven for an further 15-20 mins at 150 degrees Celsius.
  12. When out of the oven brush the top with apricot jam for a nice glaze.

Additional notes
This can be served warm  or cold, with cream, ice cream or in the colder months custard.Try adding spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla or cloves to the puree for a different flavour. Swap the apples for pears or quinces. You could add berries to the top layer.  
For something different why not add thin strips of marzipan over the puree. 

Have fun with the ingredients and don't forget to bring your successes to group for us all to try! 

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