Apples
I was thinking about what to illustrate what I really love, what is something simple but loved by many ones, what is so funny and accessible, something from my childhood and from yours too. I began drawing about apples and something about how to cook with it. Keep going,
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All you need:
1. Baking dish. I am sharing proportions that will suit any of your favorite shapes 25-28 cm in diameter, or about the same, but for example rectangular or oval. Favorite baking dish, especially for tarts and cakes, for short layers and biscuits, for some new French recipes. This is truly a treat for a person who loves to cook. This kind of dishware that can no longer be washed, with a million smudges and scratches, is filled with aroma and memories. It doesn’t matter how much it costs when you buy it, what matters is how much friends you make. My uniform fits in my carry-on luggage and weighs less than a mug, but at first we became friends.
1. Baking dish. I am sharing proportions that will suit any of your favorite shapes 25-28 cm in diameter, or about the same, but for example rectangular or oval. Favorite baking dish, especially for tarts and cakes, for short layers and biscuits, for some new French recipes. This is truly a treat for a person who loves to cook. This kind of dishware that can no longer be washed, with a million smudges and scratches, is filled with aroma and memories. It doesn’t matter how much it costs when you buy it, what matters is how much friends you make. My uniform fits in my carry-on luggage and weighs less than a mug, but at first we became friends.
2. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula. If you are reading the recipe, then you definitely have some of this.
3. Coffee grinder. If it's not there, don't worry.
4. Knife, rolling pin
5. Dishes
6. A stainless steel sauceboat, or rather a saucepan no larger than 1-2 liters, with a thick bottom that protects against burning
7. Handful of flour
8. 200 grams of sugar
9. 50 grams of the best butter
10. 5-6 large, strong and juicy apples
11. 500 grams quick defrost puff pastry
So,
We start by measuring out 200 grams of white sugar and grinding it into powder, for example using a coffee grinder. I think that for the first time you can safely use just sugar if you don’t have a coffee grinder. This is not critical at all. Usually, on the first try, the cook is so enthusiastic that everything turns out better than usual, so you can add a bit of improvisation. So, take a gravy boat or just a small saucepan and pour baker sugar (this is ground sugar) or just sugar into it and put it on the smallest gas comfort over medium heat. Or on any other stove over medium heat. After 2 minutes, mix everything with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. I use a silicone spatula, which is more like a stick. A minute later again. The sugar will melt faster and faster and after 10 minutes you will continuously stir first the sticky pieces of sugar, then the slightly brown slurry with the sticky pieces, but when you stir this continuously and there are about three lumps of sugar left in the light brown caramel, you can remove pan from the heat and stir everything until completely dissolved in air, holding the gravy boat by the handle or simply on the stove turned off. Stir for another minute, and then drop a 50 gram piece of butter into the caramel.
We start by measuring out 200 grams of white sugar and grinding it into powder, for example using a coffee grinder. I think that for the first time you can safely use just sugar if you don’t have a coffee grinder. This is not critical at all. Usually, on the first try, the cook is so enthusiastic that everything turns out better than usual, so you can add a bit of improvisation. So, take a gravy boat or just a small saucepan and pour baker sugar (this is ground sugar) or just sugar into it and put it on the smallest gas comfort over medium heat. Or on any other stove over medium heat. After 2 minutes, mix everything with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. I use a silicone spatula, which is more like a stick. A minute later again. The sugar will melt faster and faster and after 10 minutes you will continuously stir first the sticky pieces of sugar, then the slightly brown slurry with the sticky pieces, but when you stir this continuously and there are about three lumps of sugar left in the light brown caramel, you can remove pan from the heat and stir everything until completely dissolved in air, holding the gravy boat by the handle or simply on the stove turned off. Stir for another minute, and then drop a 50 gram piece of butter into the caramel.
The caramel will begin to gurgle and possibly splash. Be prepared, use a long spoon or spatula to stir so that no drops get on your hand, and without stopping, stir in a circle until the butter is completely absorbed into the sugar and until you get a smooth caramel. At this stage, it is important what kind of oil you use. Choose the fattiest decent fresh oil. It is possible that after mixing there will be excess water in the caramel, which will separate from the oil. Carefully pour it into the sink, and pour the caramel itself into the baking dish and distribute it evenly with a spatula, but without enthusiasm, making literally three movements. Place the caramel pan in a cool place, such as near a window, and cool for 20-30 minutes.
While the caramel is cooling, peel the apples and turn on the oven at 150-160 degrees. Choose the strongest, most beautiful, juicy apples, and preferably not small ones, so that the pieces in the tart are large. Next, cut the apples in half, removing the core and, when the caramel has cooled, place them in the mold, flat side up, as close to each other as possible. Do not put scraps or leftover pieces in there. It won't be pretty and everything will look so-so. Place the pan in the oven on the middle rack for an hour and a half. During this time, the apples will become soft, but will not lose their shape due to the low temperature, and will be saturated with butter and sugar, becoming sweet and shiny on the side that you cannot yet see.
After half 15-30 minutes, remove the puff pastry and leave it to defrost. You will need 2 pieces of 250 grams each, which is often packaged in the store.
When the apples are ready, take them out and put them in the same cool place until they cool. Cooling will lower the temperature until the apples can be touched without getting burned. This is about 30 minutes at room temperature and 10 minutes in extreme cold. Meanwhile, raise the oven to 180 degrees.
Take the dough, roll it out with a little flour so it doesn't stick to the surface or the rolling pin/wine bottle/whatever you have on hand today. There won't be much effort required here, so any bottle will be no worse than a rolling pin. Roll out to a thickness of 5 mm. Place one piece of dough on top of the remaining apples first. Trim off any excess around the edges of the pan, and then use your fingers to tuck the edges of the dough inward so that the dough hugs the apples and dips into the caramel. Done? Now place another piece of dough on top and do the same.
I'll tell you why there are two pieces of dough and not one. The first 5 times I made the tart with one layer of puff pastry. For me, the final product was too sweet, thin, lacking body and something to offset the sweetness. For some 7-8 times I just had a lot of dough left and I decided to use it here and now. The risk was worth it. I can recommend this taste.
And so, with the dough on top, put the pan in the oven for 45 minutes, on the same middle shelf.
When done, the dough will be very risen and browned without any white flashes. Ready? We take it out and put it in a cool place until it cools down so that you can put the tart in the refrigerator overnight. We send it to the refrigerator with a weighting agent, namely, on top we put a flat plate and something heavy, for example a deep plate with water or the same gravy boat with water.
