Apple Crumble Tart

This tart consists of 4 layers:  
  * Layer 1: Tart shell  
  * Layer 2: Apple sauce  
  * Layer 3: Sliced apples  
  * Layer 4: Crumble / streusel topping  


(Maybe I should have called this a 4-layer tart.)

TART SHELL
Makes a 16cm tart shell.
80g flour
20g almond meal
20g sugar
40g butter
1-2 tbs water


Cream butter and sugar.
Stir in flour and almond meal till a dough forms.
Add water as needed till dough comes together.
Press dough into a disk and wrap with cling film.
Refrigerate for about half hour or till dough firms up.
Then roll the dough out and press into the tart pan.
Blind bake the tart shell at 180*C for about 15 min.

Allow the tart shell to cool.
Then fill the tart with about 1 cup of apple sauce.
I used canned apple sauce for convenience, adding 1/4 tsp of cinnamon.

Peel and core an apple.
Slice into half. Then thinly slice each half.
Arrange the apple slices in concentric circles on top of the apple sauce.

CRUMBLE / STREUSEL TOPPING
50g flour
40g brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
30g rolled oats
20g walnuts
55g butter

Combine all ingredients and blitz in a food processor till it crumbles to about the size of peas. Generously sprinkle on top of apples.
Bake at 180*C for about 30 min till topping is brown and crisp.

Enjoy the tart plain, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.



I am submitting this to Aspiring Bakers #10: Easy as Pie (August 2011), hosted by Janine of Not the Kitchen Sink!

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Apple Cinnamon Minicakes

What could be a better combination than apple + raisins + cinnamon + maple syrup + brown sugar?  Hahaha... that's pretty much the secret to these soft, fluffy, aromatically perfumed minicakes. 


Oops... no longer a secret.

Apple Cinnamon Minicakes

Makes about 20 minicakes.

210g flour

130g brown sugar

1.5 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon powder (depending on your preference for cinnamon)

120g butter

120ml milk

2 eggs

90ml maple syrup (the best quality you can get)

1 apple, peeled, cored and diced

30g raisins

Dump all ingredients except the diced apples and raisins into your mixing bowl.

Beat till you get a smooth batter.  

Then fold in the diced apples and raisins till evenly distributed.

Spoon batter into muffin cups.

Bake at 160*C for about 20 min till done. 

Cool on a wire rack, and resist the temptation to pop one in your mouth while it's still hot!

My pictures really don't do justice to this recipe.  I assure you that these are one of the best bakes I've come across.  

Now, if any of you know of a better recipe than this, please please please tell me!  

Hash Brown Quiche & Apple Pear Crumble

When I first saw Jennifurla's post on her Ham & Cheese Quiche, I knew I had to try it.  The unusual thing about this quiche is that the crust is made with hash browns!  Now, that was a first for me.

I modified her recipe, since I didn't have ham.  Instead, I used minced pork, pre-cooked with some basil and oregano.  I also added some lettuce and tomatoes, since I had a whole bag of it in the fridge.

The verdict: I love the hash brown crust! First, no mess of having to make the pastry dough and having flour all over the countertop. Second, its crisp and crunchy texture, as well as savoury flavour, just added a whole new dimension to the quiche.  

Thanks for sharing, Jennifurla :)

And for dessert, while the quiche was baking in the oven, it gave me just enough time to whip up this Apple & Pear Crumble. It's easy, nutritious, and fabulous with vanilla ice cream!!

Although you don't see much from the picture, all the fruity goodness is under the crunchy crumble, all thanks to the rolled oats.

RECIPE for 4 portions:

Crumble topping:
65g flour
90g brown sugar (already reduced)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
40g rolled oats
25g almonds and walnuts
75g butter, straight from the fridge

Filling:
20-40g brown sugar (depending on how sweet/sour the apples)
1 tsp cornflour
1 apple + 1 pear, peeled, cored, chopped
30g raisins or dried fruit (optional)

1 - Combine all ingredients for topping. Blitz in a food processor till it resembles coarse bread crumbs. Set aside.

2 - Combine all ingredients for filling and mix well.

3 - Divide filling into 4 ramekins (or pour it all into a small pie plate).

4 - Sprinkle crumble topping over the filling.

5 - Bake at 190*C for about 20 min for ramekins or about 30-40 min for pie plate till crumble is golden brown.

6 - Allow to cool for about 10-15 min, then serve with a generous dollop of vanilla ice cream!

Apple Upside-down Cake

This was one of the first few recipes I tried, and was so encouraged by the result, I attempted a peach version soon after. 

Other than apples and peaches, you could use other fruits such as nectarines, apricots, pineapples, pears...  

The batter is really simple; it's the apples that took some patience... 

This recipe makes an 8" cake.

For the apple topping:

* 25g butter, softened
* 90g sugar 
* About 3-4 apples (Fuji or Granny Smith or combi of both), peeled, quartered, cored, each quarter cut into 2 wedges
* 1 tsp cinnamon
* Raisins, just a handful or as much as you desire
* Almonds, just a handful too 


For the cake batter:
* 90g butter, softened
* 100g sugar
* 75g flour
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 2 tsp baking powder
* 1/2 tsp cinnamon
* 60g cornmeal or oatmeal (if you don't have cornmeal, just blitz same amount of cornflakes)
* 125ml hot water
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract / bourbon / rum / amarula (my favourite!)
* 2 eggs
* 80ml milk


Prepare apple topping:
1 - Melt butter. Then add sugar till mixture turns golden brown, stirring occasionally.
2 - Add apples and stir to coat evenly with the caramel. 
3 - Cover and cook till juices are released (about 5 minutes). Then remove lid and cook till apples are tender and caramel thickens (about 10 min or so). Sprinkle cinnamon and stir. 
4 - Pour into cake pan lined with parchment paper. Set aside while you prepare cake batter.


The batter:
5 - Whisk flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. 
6 - In another large bowl, combine cornmeal and hot water. Mix well.
7 - Add sugar and butter. Mix well. 
8 - Beat in vanilla and eggs. Then beat in flour mixture, alternating with milk. 
9 - Sprinkle raisins and nuts over apples in cake pan.  Then pour batter into cake pan.


Bake at 180 degC for about 30 min till the top is golden and tester comes out clean. 
Cool cake in pan for 5 min, then carefully invert cake onto plate. Allow to cool for 15-20 min.


Enjoy with vanilla ice cream!

And here's the peach version I tried soon after....

 

Brown Sugar Apple Cake

It was Sunday afternoon. 
Mom and Dad were visiting and hinted at a home-baked goodie for their breakfast the next day.  So I looked around my kitchen and saw 2 apples sitting all alone on the counter.  Scrolling through my BB for a quick apple recipe, I found...

Apple Cake!
Just mix everything together, pop it in the oven for 40 min, and voila!

Once the cake was cooled and sliced, sample portions were handed out.  Following a round of seconds, the leftovers were packed in tupperware and Mom and Dad left with smiles on their faces.

Here's the recipe:

50g mix of pumpkin seeds and almonds

2 Fuji apples (green applies work well too)

1-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
200g plain flour
50g white sugar
50g brown sugar
1/5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
80 g unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbs Amarula liquor (or milk)
40g raisins
 
Soak raisins in liquor for 5-10 min.  In the meantime, peel, core, and chop the apples into bite size pieces. Toss with 1 - 2 tbs of lemon juice to prevent browning.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder & soda, ground cinnamon, and salt. Add the melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and liquor and mix until fully incorporated.

Sprinkle some flour to coat the nuts and chopped apples.  Then fold them into the batter together with the raisins. If the batter is too thick, stir in some milk (or more liquor).
 
Pour into 8" square baking pan lined with parchment paper.  Bake at 170 deg C for about 40 min.  (Bake at 180 deg C if you are not using a dark non-stick pan.)
 
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!