A

Apples are coming in thick and fast now so it’s time to start making preserves with them, not to mention delicious cakes and puddngs.  Below are some of my favourite apple recipes.  Apple Mint Jelly is excellent served with  lamb or pork.  I often galze a leg of lamb with it about half an hour before the end of cooking time.  It gives the skin  lovely minty caramel ghlaze and adds a whole new dimesnion to the gravy you make from the pan juices.

The apple shortcake is a lovely dessert, especially served with a creamy custard – any leftover shortcake is good served cold, dusted with a little icing sugar and a sprinkle of cinnamon.  Try substituting some of the apples with quinces.

 The lemon and Apple Curd tart is my personal favourite dessert of all time.  Despite the simplicity of ingredients, the flavours blend together in a taste sensation.   So these are a few to be going on with. 

Actually, I’ve just taken out of the oven an experimental spicy fruit slice.  It is kind of based on a biscuit my Dad used to love – spicy fruit rolls.  I tried doing the rolls, and they went well, but soon tired of the tedium of the rolling and cutting and rolling again, so turned it into a slice.  The spiced fruit mixture, based on dried fruits simmered in fruit juice, was much improved with the addition of grated apple. If anyone would like the recipe, let me know and I’ll type it up on the blog.  I anticipate it will be scrumptious served as a dessert with custard and brown bread ice cream and , like the apple shortcake, will be a good afternoon tea treat or addition to a lunchbox.

 

Apple Mint Chutney

Makes 700ml approximately

 500g Granny Smith (or other cooking variety) apples

 375ml cider vinegar

 500g sugar

 5 or 6 tablespoons of chopped mint

 Wash and chop the apples (no need to peel or core).  Place in a medium sized saucepan with the vinegar.  Bring to the boil and cook until the apples are soft. 

 Press the mixture through a sieve or food mill.

 Add the sugar and bring back to the boil, stirring.  Boil for 9 minutes.

 Remove from heat and stir in the finely chopped mint leaves.

 Pour  into warm sterilised jars and seal immediately.

 Apple Shortcake

 Serves 6

 125g butter

125g sugar

1 egg

250g self raising flour

Grated rind 1 lemon or lime

3 large (or 4 smaller) cooking apples, such as Granny Smiths

¼ cup sugar extra, approximately

 2 teaspoons of cornflour mixed with a little cold water, optional

 Whisk the butter and sugar together, then add the egg and whisk until well combined.  Fold in the flour and lemon rind and mix until well combined.  Wrap in cling wrap and put in fridge for at least half an hour

 Peel, core and slice the apples, then place in a saucepan with ½ cup water.

 Bring to the boil and cook gently until the apples are soft.

 If the apple mixture is too runny, thicken with the cornflour paste, cool. 

 Cut chilled pastry into two equal sized pieces and roll each piece out on a lightly floured surface to fit the tin.

 Place one half in tin, then spread the apple over this, leaving a small border around the edge

 Place other half of pastry over the top, then press edges together

 Prick several times with a fork, then bake for 30 minutes.

 Allow to stand in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out and invert.

 The cake can be served immediately as a dessert with cream or ice cream, or allowed to cool the iced with lemon icing or sprinkled with sifted icing sugar.

Apple and Lemon Curd Tart

 1 sheet ready rolled sweet shortcrust pastry, thawed (or make your own – see recipe at end)

 Filling:

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons melted butter

Finely grated rind ½ lemon (optional)

1 cooking apple, peeled

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, approximately

 Turn oven to 200°C.   Grease an 18cm pie dish and line with pastry, trimming to fit.  Place in fridge while preparing filling.

 Place the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, butter and lemon rind (if using) in a bowl and beat until smooth.

 Pour into the pastry case.  Grate the apple coarsely and distribute evenly over the lemon filling.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.

 Bake at 200°C for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 160°C and bake a further 20 to 30 minutes or until filling is set.

 Cool before cutting into slices to serve.

 Sweet shortcrust pastry

60g butter

60g sugar

1 egg yolk

30g self raising flour

90g self raising flour

 Whisk or cream the butter and sugar together, then whisk in the egg yolk until well combined.  Add the combined flours and mix to a soft dough.  Wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour before rolling out on a lightly floured surface to a size to fit the base and sides of the pie dish.