Apple Tart

I am hooked on the British period drama series that airs on PBS called Downton Abbey. I literally can't wait for Sunday nights at 9pm when the 7-part series of Season 2 airs in my local area. My obsession with this show, which is said to be an updated version of the beloved PBS mini-series, Upstairs Downstairs, began last year when Season 1's 3-part series first aired. Since then I can't get enough of it and look forward to my Sunday evenings in front of the TV.

For those unfamiliar with the series, it is a tale of an aristocratic family and their servants, set in the early 1900's right before and into the Great War. The setting, in a real-life English manor fictionally called Downton Abbey, is enchanting, very much like what you would see in a Merchant-Ivory movie. The costumes depicting the era are stunningly beautiful. And, the stories, both rich and intriguing, focus on the life, and scandals, of the Crawley family (aristocrats) and those of their servants. The script is simply scrumptious, with the best lines given to Maggie Smith, all making for great television viewing. 

So, my Sunday nights are special, and to honor the evening viewing I like to have dessert. For this weeks episode 4 viewing, I chose to make this simple but delicious apple tart. First, because I just saw Jacques Pepin make it on TV. Second, because I had two huge Granny Smith apples that soon needed to find a purpose.

Dessert don't get much easier than this. It starts with a simple pastry dough that requires no rolling. Just pat it into a tart pan or pie plate. Cover it with peeled and sliced apples, sprinkle with some sugar, scatter a few small clumps of butter, and bake. Brush the baked tart with some apricot jam to give it a bit of a shine and serve. It's not too sweet or rich, just delicious. Perhaps not so worthy of this elegant drama series, but just enough for a cold Sunday evening. 

A third season will now air in September. Though delighted at the prospect of more shows, I suspect that means I will probably have to wait to find out if Lady Mary marries Capt. Crawley or if Anna and Mr. Bates can finally be together. 

Jacques Pepin's Apple Tart 

1/4 c. warmed milk

1 1/4 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. salt

6 T. softened butter (or combo of butter & Crisco)

2 lbs. apples

3 T. sugar

2 T. butter

2-3 T. apricot jam, warmed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium sized bowl or Cuisinart, mix together the flour, 1 tsp. sugar, salt, and baking powder. Add the butter/Crisco and mix till crumbly. Add the milk and mix till dough comes together.  

Pour into a tart pan and with hands push dough into pan, over bottom and up sides of pan.

 

Peel, quarter and core apples.  Cut into 1-inch thick slices. Arrange apples wedges in a concentric circle on the dough and sprinkle with a generous amount of sugar.  Dot the surface with the butter cut into small pieces.  Set on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 1 hour until the apples are completely soft. Watch the dough edges. Cover with aluminum foil if they begin to over-brown.  Brush the surface with the apricot jam, warmed up to loosen. 

Apple Hand Pies - As Fall Begins in Michigan

The signs of fall are everywhere here in Michigan. The outside temps have turned decidedly more cool.  My flowers are beginning to wither, the leaves have begun to fall and that fall-like smell I love is in the air. For me, autumn is one of my favorite times to cook and bake as many of the foods and dishes associated with the season I particularly enjoy.

To usher in the season I have decided to make Apple Hand Pies. This time with dried cranberries added to the filling for color and texture. The filling is then wrapped in a walnut enhanced pie crust. I debated whether to go the easy route and use packaged phyllo dough but decided to do them right and chose my default pie dough recipe from Martha Stewart. This time, however, I've added some finely chopped walnuts for extra texture and taste. The basic recipe is my dough of choice for most of the fruit and cream pies I make. I like the use of butter as the main fat to give the dough a rich flavor. The small amount of Crisco in the recipe helps produce a nice tender, flaky crust. Put together in a food processor, the dough is easy and quick to prepare.

While these hand pies are really nothing more than an adaptation of an apple pie, the filling is pre-cooked to allow for a shorter baking time. Unlike in a pie where I prefer the look and texture of  layers of sliced apples, the apples here are diced and then sauteed in butter and sugar before placing them on rounds of raw dough.

These are certainly tasty served with a good vanilla ice cream while still warm, but are also quite good simply eaten by hand.

Apple Hand Pies

Walnut Pie Dough:
2 1/2 c. flour
3/4 c. cold butter, diced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/4  c. Crisco
1/4 c. - 1/2 c. ice water
1/2 c. chopped, toasted walnuts

Toast walnuts in a 350 degree oven for about 5-10 minutes to toast and enhance flavor. 

Place nuts into a food processor and pulse till nuts are finely chopped but not turned into a powder. Add the flour, salt and sugar and pulse a few times again to incorporate all the dry ingredients.   

Now add the cold butter and Crisco and pulse again a few times till mixture is meal-like. Add the water starting with 1/4 c. and pulse till dough comes together. If still too loose, add a bit more water till it forms a dough when squished together by hand. 

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Collect dough and form into a round trying not to handle to much. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. While dough is chilling prepare apple filling.

Apple Cranberry filling:  recipe adapted from "Professional Baking" by Wayne Gisslen

2 pounds apples, medium dice
1/4-1/3 c. dried cranberries
2/3 c. sugar, divided 
2 T. cornstarch
2 oz. cold water
2 T. butter, divided
2 T. lemon juice
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
pinch of salt

In a medium skillet melt 1 T. butter but do not let it get brown. Add the diced apples and cook for a few minutes till they just begin to soften. Add 1/3 c. sugar and cook till tender but not mushy.

Mix the cornstarch with water to make a slurry and add to the apples.  Cook till thickened and the liquid is clear.

Take off the heat. Add the remaining 1/3 c. sugar, the spices, salt, cranberries, lemon juice and butter. Mix together till sugar is dissolved and butter has melted. Set aside to cool.

Assembly:
Cut dough in half. Roll out first half into a rectangle or large circle that is about 1/8-1/4 inch in thickness. Using a 6-inch plate as a guide, cut out as many circles as possible. 

 
Place cut circles on baking sheet.  Wet the edges of the dough circle. Spoon 2 generous tablespoons of the filling into half of the dough circle. Fold over, cut small slits to vent the dough, seal and crimp.  Repeat with second half of dough and any remaining dough scraps.

Brush milk or egg wash over the tops. Sprinkle with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil if crust begins to burn.