While I was busy with another huge crop of Apricots my Anna apple tree's branches were getting heavy with beautiful fruit. I would pick a few each day and share them with my goats. They love apples. Soon I realized that I had a huge crop and would have to think about preserving them too. After the apricot production started to wane I started in on the apples.:
A bushel or a peck?
I think a peck is a basket that holds about 25 apples.
A bushel is 4 pecks
My childhood song lyrics: "I love you a bushel and a peck.....a bushel and a peck....and a hug around the neck."
basket of apples
Apples are best eaten whole but I have to find another route for them so my French cooking kicked in an I decided to make a simple apple tart.... galette pommes. really very easy:
Mis en place
As American as Apple Pie? No as French as an apple tart
Recipe:
Ingredients:
4 small apples
1 sheet of premade puff pastry
sugar enough to sprinkle the tops of the apples
butter - enough to drop a little on top of the sugar
apricot jelly or jam - to make the glaze after baking
Calvados ( or as you can see I used Pernod) to flavor the glaze
Method:
Defrost one sheet of frozen puff pastry in the fridge.
Cut into 4 pieces and place on a parchment lined baking sheet
Peel, core and slice the apples. Place the slices on the small rectangle of pastry
Sprinkle with sugar
Dot with butter
Palace in fridge while oven is preheating
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Bake for 30-40 minutes until the apples are slightly caramelized and the pastry is golden
Cool slightly
The French ALWAYS glaze their pastries with an apricot glaze. It leaves the tart shiny with a slight sweetness to the finish
To make the glaze:
Heat about 1/2 cup apricot jam or jelly (Yep- got lots of this after my bounty of apricots In June.) with about 2 TBS of Calvados ( ar any other compatible liquor or water)
Paint a thin layer of glaze over the apples
Bon Appetit!
Apples on puff pastry
Out of the oven and glazed
finished presentation (I ate the fourth one - the edges were a little burned so it didn't make the photo shoot)
But wait! There's more!
I have been pretty successful dehydrating my fruit and then can share or eat in the off season although I'm not sure there is an off season here in Southern California
Many people say that this variety of apples is not any good but I disagree. I have pruned, fed, watered and cared for my little tree with lots of love and dedication. She has rewarded me for my efforts and I can put up a good argument for the quality of these beauties.
Bullet and LuLu enjoying their breakfast
An addition:
A lovely tarte tatin
A tarte tatin is an upside down caramelized apple pie. The crust is a puff pastry puff. This is a simple tart
to make:
Start with 5 apples, rich spices ( cinnamon, star anise, cardamom pods and ginger "coins"
You'll also want to use a cast iron skillet - 8" or 9", a melon baller and a knife for pizza cutter to trim the pastry
Peel, half and core the apples with the melon baller
See how pretty they are? You will use the halves to fill the skillet after the caramel has been started
Melt 4 TBs butter and add 2/3 cup sugar. Cook slowly to dissolve the sugar.about 5-6 minutes When golden and the sugar has melted drop in the spices ( cinnamon sticks, star anise, cardamon pods and peeled ginger "coins" Then add the apples cut side UP. Coat all the apple by turning in the caramel. It will take about 10-20 minutes to cook the apples. Don't let the caramel burn so watch your heat and your pan
Roll out one sheet of prepared puff pastry. Store in freezer but defrost in fridge. Roll out when pliable to 2" larger than skillet. Then cut a circle with the pizza wheel or knife. Keep in fridge until ready to add to the cooked apples.
When the apples are cooked enough remove from the heat and preheat the stove to 425. Let the apples cool while the oven is heating.
Remove the pastry circle from fridge and top the apples tucking about 1" into the side of the pan and over the apples. Faire attention! The skillet and/or apples may still be hot enough to burn you. Work quickly so that the pastry is still cold. Piece the top with a fork and pop in the oven Bake until golden - about 25 minutes
Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes
Run a knife around the edge of the pan to release any pastry that might be stuck. Place a heatproof serving plate over the skillet and, using potholders, carefully invert them together-- Might be messy if the caramel leaks out in the flip
Serve warm or at room temperature. Great with a dollop of sour cream.
Bon Appetit!
Recipe from a mixing of Zoe Bakes ( a fabulous muse) and Simple Tarts by Elizabeth Wolf-Cohen
Enjoy your July!
