palmernoms

It’s been a while since my last post and its been a busy few weeks, work trips, travel, shows and dealing with the Bramley apple harvest from the tree in our garden. It was a bumper crop and took a couple of weekends and assistance from my lovely Mum to get them all made into something or peeled and frozen.

I found this brilliant website with lots of ideas specifically for Bramley Apples http://www.bramleyapples.co.uk/ (the clues in the web address!).

First job on the list was making some into jam for use on scones, and other cake or toasty products I used this recipe which turned out well and the jam is delicious and made around 5 – 6 small jam jars worth. https://www.ocado.com/webshop/recipe/apple-and-blackberry-jam/4442 and here it is on tapple and walnut scones – recipe below.

     

Apple and Walnut Scones

Taken from bramleyapples.co.uk makes around 9 scones depending on size of cutter (if you make smaller scones you may need to reduce the cooking time).

• 225g/8oz gluten free self raising flour (I used Dove Farms)
• 5ml/1tsp baking powder
• 50g/2oz butter
• 225g/8oz Bramley apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• 4tbsp caster sugar
• 25g/1oz walnut pieces, chopped
• 150ml/¼pt plus milk to glaze

Preheat the oven to 220°C/Fan 200°C/425°F/Gas Mark 7.

Sift the flour and baking powder together into a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles crumbs.

Stir in the apples, sugar and walnuts; then stir in enough of the milk to mix to a soft dough.

Roll out the mixture on a floured surface until it is 5cm/2in thick. Press out 9 rounds using a 6cm/2½ in round fluted cutter. Place well apart on a baking sheet, brush the tops with the remaining milk.

Bake for 10 – 15mins or until golden and risen. Cool on a wire rack

Next on the list Apple Chutney – recipe is here: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2646/classic-apple-chutney – you should be aware that the cooking time was nearly 2 hours so longer than stated and also your house will smell of vinegar for days to come! This made siege supplies! We’ll be eating it for the next few years.

For the next two pastry based recipes I used normal plain flour as I find the gluten free makes the pastry too short to handle and for an apple pie and the sausage and apple roll I needed to be able to ensure the pastry would be easy to handle as I didn’t want my pie to leak!

Apple Pie

Pastry

• 450g Plain Flour
• 250g chilled, cubed unsalted butter (don’t take it out of the fridge until you’re ready to go!)
• 100g icing sugar
• 1 x Egg Yolk
• Cold Water to combine

Filling

• 900g Bramley Apples – peeled, cored and thinly sliced)
• 100g Golden Caster Sugar
• 1 x Tablespoon of plain flour
• 1 x Teaspoon of cinnamon (optional)

Caster sugar to sprinkle on top of pie
Milk and pastry brush

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius for fan assisted

Grease a 30cm pie dish

Begin by preparing the filling – put the prepared apples in a large bowl and pour in caster sugar, flour and cinnamon and mix thoroughly.

Now make the pastry sift the flour into a large bowl and add the cubed, chilled butter. As I have quite warm hands I always rinse them under cold water and dry before rubbing the butter into the flour. Once the butter is rubbed in and looks like fine bread crumbs, add the icing sugar and lightly rub in too. Add the egg yolk and mix in with your hands, slowly add a little bit of cold water at a time until the mix combines into a dough. Don’t need or mix too much. Wrap in cling film and chill in fridge for 30 minutes.

Once chilled and rested, lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin, split the pastry into a larger ball (two thirds) and one third ball. Starting with the large two-third piece roll out as thinly as you’re able to fit the pie dish bottom and so it goes just over the lip of the dish. If you have any holes plug with any excess pastry. Add your apple filling. Then roll out the remaining third of the pastry. Brush the pastry on the lip of the pie dish with milk and then place the top over the apples and with your fingers or a fork press the edges together to seal and trim with a knife. If you have any excess pastry you can make leaves or decorations for the top which you stick down by brushing with milk. When you’re ready to put the pie in the oven brush the top of the pie with milk and sprinkle over the caster sugar. Bake for around 30 – 40 minutes until golden brown and pastry is crisp.

Sausage and Apple Roll

I based the filling on this goodfood recipe http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/porkandbramleyapples_11791 but instead of puff pastry I made my own shortcrust pastry as I think it works better with the sausage-meat. I doubled delia’s recipe here and I highly recommend using the mix of butter and instead of lard I use white Trex as it makes a lovely short crisp pastry. http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/cuisine/european/english/basic-shortcrust-pastry.html

In addition we also made (substituting normal flour for Gluten Free) Dorset Apple Cake http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/dorset-apple-cake

German Apple Cake http://www.bramleyapples.co.uk/german-apple-cake/

Apple and sultana muffins http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1572663/apple-and-sultana-muffins

And finally to use up the last few baked apples, you can scale up or down this recipe depending how many mouths you have to feed!:

Baked Apples

• 1 x large Bramley Apple
• 1 x Tablespoon of runny Honey
• 6 x Pecans (you could use walnuts or omit entirely)
• 10ml water
• 1 x teaspoon of butter

Preheat oven to 180 degrees

Using a apple corer remove the core of the apple and place in an oven proof dish. In the core cavity put a couple of the pecans, then some butter, then remaining pecans and topped off with butter. Pour the honey over the apple and pour the water in the bottom of the dish. Put the apple in the oven and bake for about 20 – 30 minutes.

Serve with ice cream or custard – do leave to cool down for 10-15 minutes first as they are so hot when they come out of the oven. Put the apple in a bowl and pour over the sauce at the bottom.