I love apples….I was just looking at some old photos and it occurred to me that I probably don’t cook with them as often as I should.
Everyone loves a crumble, don’t they? A decent apple crumble must be in lots of top ten comfort food lists. Maybe its the apples…..the crunchy bits and the soggy bits of the topping…the anticipation while trying to wait patiently to let it cool down from blisteringly hot….maybe its the custard……(actually, for me, it’s probably the custard, but this is supposed to be a post about apples, so we’ll just gently gloss over that).
It’s an interesting thing, though, I often forget that folks love an old fashioned honest-to-goodness crumble. If I’m honest, sometimes when I’m cooking I probably try too hard to impress, to be clever, to dress things up and play. I like to have fun, you see. I like to challenge myself just a little bit. It’s nice to play with the familiar, though, isn’t it?
This is a good example. It’s also the beginning of a good example as to how plates evolve and garnishes change and progress, but that’s a whole different post…
Apple terrine, calvados parfait (rolled in crumble), raisin purée, apple syrup, creme fraiche
It was tasty and I think it looked nice. This (below) is more like it though, because the custard is there, albeit in a different form (I like custard, can you tell?)
Apple terrine, date purée (tweaked from above version), crumble, granny smith sorbet, vanilla creme patisserie, apple syrup
But this…..c’mon, I’d rather eat this:
Apple & bramble crumble, vanilla custard, apple sorbet
Any takers? And look…..proper custard!
Custard or ice cream? Not just a crumble question, but the eternal apple pie conundrum……I suppose I’m compromising a bit with the crumble above, as it is served with custard and something cold that isn't ice cream, in this case, sorbet, to sort of reinforce the notion that it’s all about the apples, at the end of the day.
Digressing slightly and heading more into pie territory, here’s another example bending apples to the will of the cook:
Apple tarte fine
I particularly like the way the tarte is squished flat, upside down, when it comes out of the oven. Quite satisfying, a good squish.
I love a tarte fine. (french accent obligatory for the over-emphasised ’feeeeen’ after the rolled ‘r’ in ’tarte’). In my book, definitely a candidate for some ice cream, this one, rather than custard……
I’ll finish today’s ramblings with a really, really simple take on apples. Cake. Who doesn’t like cake? Nothing fancy, just needs a nice cup of tea.
Crunchy Apple & Cinnamon Cake
This apple cake is a pretty decent wee treat all by itself, but is also great as a pudding on cold pre-spring evenings, served warm with a generous glug of custard. (sorry, couldn’t resist that)
Feel free to experiment with apple varieties for this - depending on how subtle or pronounced an apple flavour you prefer. I like to use a cox apple for this, but bramleys, russets, gala... whatever you have!
For the base 115g butter, at room temperature
115g caster sugar
2 large eggs (preferably free range)
115g self raising flour
2 apples
pinch of cinnamon
For the crunchy topping 3 tablespoons demerara sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preheat your oven to 180 centigrade and line a 20cm sponge tin with baking parchment
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add and incorporate the eggs one at a time
Peel, core and grate the apples, then fold into the mix
Fold in the flour and cinammon, then transfer to the tin and bake for around 20 minutes
At this stage the sponge should have a firm top but not be quite cooked - now mix the demerara sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the cake before returning to the oven
Bake until the cake is cooked through (a skewer inserted will come out clean). Depending on your oven, this may take 10-15 minutes. The topping will be crunchy and the apple in the cake cooked through
Transfer to a wire rack and remove from the tin once cool.
