by Ross Bowles and Tracie Zahavich, Fox & Monocle Café | photo by Janis Jean –
Apples can be simply a common everyday snack, or a popular pie filling. You can use them to add acidity to a dish, or a bit of sweetness. When using the proper type, it can add texture and substance to a recipe. Apples add another layer of flavour to soups and sauces and make a great accompaniment to any cheeseboard or pork dish.
The varieties of apples are endless and all lend a different profile. With plenty of orchards lining the Island there is no shortage in our backyard.
APPLE GALETTE
(makes two galettes)
Pie Dough
(makes two 10-inch pie crusts)
2 1/2 cups (325g) all purpose flour
1 tsp (5g) salt
1 cup (230g) cold butter
1/4 cup ice water
Method
- Cube butter and place in fridge
- Scale flour into mixing bowl with salt and cold butter; mix on low speed until butter is mostly crumbly
- Add ice water and mix until combined
- Divided dough into 2 balls
- Roll each ball out to a 10” round
Apple Filling
4 Pink Lady apples
1 cup (200g) dark brown sugar
2 tsp (10g) cinnamon
1 tsp (5g) nutmeg
Method
- Peel, core, quarter and slice apples
- Place apples in a pot with brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg
- Place pot on medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. The apples should be just tender
Galette Assembly
- Take your two pie dough discs and place them on a baking sheet.
- Take your apple filling and place it in the centre of your pie crust. Take a spoon and push the filling towards the edges leaving about a 1 inch gap from the edge. Alternatively, arrange your apple slices like a pinwheel; be sure to leave a 1 inch gap from the edge. Once your filling is arranged the way you want, take your 1 inch edge and fold it over the filling. Egg wash the pastry and sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake at 350° for 25 minutes.
- Enjoy with a scoop of ice cream or custard
RED WINE APPLE PUREE
1.9kg Honey Crisp apples, sliced thin (skin on, no seeds, no core)
¼ cups + 2 tbsp (100 g) sunflower oil
1 ¼ cup (300 g) red wine
2 tsp (10 g) sugar
Method
-Get the largest pan you have very hot
-Add the oil and apples and stir constantly. The apples will cool down the pan – keep it on full flame stirring constantly for about 5 minutes until apples are quite soft
-Add the wine, turn the flame down slightly and let it cook on its own until au sec
-Add the sugar off heat and stir it in
-Blend on high for several minutes and pass through a chinois
-Store puree in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last for three weeks. The puree pears well with pork, cheese and savoury pies.
APPLE TARTE TATIN
puff pastry rolled to 10-11inches
5 to 6 apples (choose a firm apple like Granny Smith, Braeburn, Golden Delicious, Gala, or Honeycrisp)
1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter
1 cup (225 g) sugar
vanilla ice cream for serving
Method
-First, make the dough, or purchase dough from the store and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours.
-Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F. Peel and core the apples, and cut into thick quarters.
-In a 9-inch cast-iron skillet or heavy bottom pot press your butter to cover the base of the pan and then sprinkle the sugar over. Arrange the apples smooth side down, core side up on the butter sugar in the design of a pinwheel – each apple slightly tilted and overlapping. Place puff pastry disc on top of apples and tuck edges along the side of the apples and pan.
-Place pan on medium heat. Leave on medium heat until a light caramel starts to bubble up the sides; you may need to rotate your pan.
-Place pan into oven and bake until pastry is golden brown and crispy, rotating halfway through, about 25 minutes.
-Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before tackling the flip: First, run an offset spatula or a butter knife around the edges of the pastry dough to loosen. Place a large plate – one that completely covers the width of the pan – across the top. Throw on a pair of oven mitts and then, with one hand firmly holding the plate in place and the other with a good grip on the skillet’s handle, invert in one quick motion and place on a clean work surface. Very carefully, lift the skillet away. You may find a few apples have stuck to the pan; simply pop them back into place, and use the spatula to tidy everything up as needed. Serve warm Tarte Tatin with vanilla ice cream!
