26 Nov 2009

individual apple pie

Today marks the end of year 11 for me. For some of my friends, year 11 ends in about a week. This is the start of a 2 months + holiday. I'm going to look for a job again, since the last time there was a communication error =="

I hate eating apples raw, so the avoid that, I used about half of the supply of apples in apple pie. Cooked apple is more softer and has more flavour. But the thing about cooked apple is that you'll either love it or hate it. For example, my aunty and uncle refuse to eat cooked apple or apple pie because they think it's weird eating cooked apple. After making "spiced apples" in food tech class a few years ago, I have restrained myself from cooking apples, because it was so horrible. But after following a recipe from Lettuce Club, I started making it again.
Surprisingly, the pastry was easy to work with. I had it at room temperature for quite a long time and despite slightly breaking due to the thin-ness, it didn't crumble or was hard to work with. I wonder what the secret was? The weather or wholemeal flour?
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individual apple pie
pastry adapted from Tools and Techniques by Thomas Keller
apple filling adapted from オレ様カフェのきゃらめるりんごパイ
later edited by me
oven:
165 degrees Celsius
fan forced
ingredients:
makes 10 x 10cm diameter 4 cm deep individual tarts
or 23 cm diameter tart with a lattice top
pastry:
  • 1 cup plain flour
  • 1 cup wholemeal flour
  • 4 tsp sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 185 grams unsalted butter
  • 7 Tb ice water
    (water from the fridge is fine)
apple filling:
  • 1 lemon
  • 9 apples
    (I used a mix of pink lady and sundowner)
  • 1/3 cup sultanas, cooked
    (bring to a boil under low heat until sultanas are soft and plump, drain and dry)
  • 50 grams unsalted butter
  • 30 grams sugar
  • cinnamon powder to taste
    (I used about 1/2 tsp and a pinch)
other:
  • 1 beaten egg
  • almond flakes
method:
1. Sift flour into a mixing bowl. Check the husks in the sift and add them into the flour. Mix well with the sugar and salt.

2. Dice cold butter into cubes and coat with flour. Pulse in a food processor until the butter resemble little lumps.

3. Pulse while adding ice water. When dough forms, clump together and slightly flatten.

Note: The dough should come together with a pinch. If not add 1 Tb of water at a time until it does.
1. Juice the lemon and put juice in a mixing bowl. Peel the apples, cut into 8 wedges and later into bite sized pieces. Mix the apple with the lemon juice to stop it browning.

2. Melt the butter and sugar in a non stick pan under high heat.

3. When sugar turns brown add the apples and cooked sultanas. Cook the apples until colour changed and apple softens. (Takes about 6-10 minutes) Add the cinnamon in the last 2 minutes of cooking.

4. Divide the pastry into 20 even sized balls. Take 2 balls and roll out 1 1/3 of it thinly for the case. Shape pastry into the tart case. Trim off the excess sides.

5. Fill the case to the brim with apple filling. Using the remaining 2/3 of dough, roll out the cover, trim the excess and crimp the sides with a fork.

6. Brush the tops with beaten egg and arrange almond slices on top.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.

Warm filling of cinnamon flavoured apples and sultanas