Apple pies to tempt the palate

Press, 1 August 1977, Page 13

Apple pies to tempt the palate

By

CELIA TIMMS

If Adam was first tempted with an apple, then many of Adam’s sons have retained their weakness for this fruit. It is a rare man who can resist an apple pie. The following recipes are all for apple pies but all of them are different.

The English style apple pie was undoubtedly the first. It was the Romans who first planted apple trees in Somerset and found that, because of the climate the flavour of these surpassed that of any other io all of their Empire. Since that time, nearly two thousand years ago, the apple has been by far and away our favourite fruit. The British have been making superb apple pies since 1296 when the first English cooking apple, the Costard, came upon the scene.

For a traditional English Apple Pie you need a 9 inch pie dish.

ENGLISH APPLE PIE 675 g cooking apples (IJlbs) Juice of | lemon Approx. 350 g shortcrust or puff pastry (12ozs) 50g brown sugar (2ozs) 1 tablespoon flour One eighth teaspoon grated nutmeg

J teaspoon cinnamon Grated peel of j orange and J lemon 50g chopped raisins and sultanas (2ozs) 2 tablespoons orange Juice 2 tablespoons butter

Method: Peel and core apples and slice thickly then soak them in cold water to which has been added the lemon juice. Line a deep 9 inch dish with pastry. Combine both sugars, flour, nutmeg and cinnamon and rub a little of this mixture into the pastry lining. Add grated peels to remaining sugar mixture. Drain apples well and fill into lined dish, sprinkling with chopped fruit and sugar mixture as you go. When filled, sprinkle over orange juice and dot with butter. Fit top crust over apples, pressing edges well together. Cut small slits in top crust with sharp knife and decorate top as desired. Bake at 400 for 3540 minutes. Serve warm with cream. UPSIDE DOWN APPLE PIE

Upside Down Apple Pie also has top and bottom crusts plus a delicious butterscotch topping. When

cooked it is inverted on to serving platter.

To make an 8-9 inch pie you need: 2 tablespoons softened butter Walnut halves Glace cherries One third cup brown sugar (approx.) 225-275 g shortcrust pastry (8-lOczs) 3 cups thinly slice cooking apples Juice of J lemon 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 dessertspoon flour 1 teaspoon each of nutmeg, cinnamon Pinch of salt.

Method: Spread sides and base of fairly deep tart plate (not a pie dish) with the softened butter and on the base arrange pattern with walnut halves and glace cherries, pressing well into butter which should be generously spread. Cover carefully with the brown sugar including the sides. Roll pastry to about an eighth of an inch thickness and again carefully, line the dish, reserving enough to cover top. Combine sliced apples with lemon juice, additional brown sugar, .flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; toss well and fill into pastry lining.

Level top and cover with circle of pastry, moistening edges of pastry and fold lining pastry over the top circle pressing well together and pinching a frill. Pierce the top several times with a fork and bake at 400 for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and cook for a further 40-50 minutes until apples are

soft. This can be tested with a fine skewer. Remove from oven and when the butterscotch has stopped bubbling, place a large serving platter over the top of the pie and invert. Then carefully remove the tart plate in which pie was cooked. Serve warm with whipped cream. LEMON APPLE PIE Lemon Apple Pie is of the open tart variety and has a custard and fruit filling. For an 8-9 inch pie you will need: 175 g shortcrust pastry (6ozs) 2 eggs 1 large or 2 small cooking apples i teaspoon cinnamon 1 dessertspoon grated lemon rind 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons melted butter

Method: Line a fairly deep pie plate with the pastry rolled to {inch thickness. Prick well with fork. Beat eggs with sugar until light and thick; add lemon juice and rind and melted butter and beat well again. Pour into lined dish. Grate the peeled apple on coarse grater and sprinkle over egg mixture without stirring. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350 and continue cooking for about 3040 minutes or until custard is set and apple soft and lightly coloured. Serve hot or cold with ice cream or whipped cream or both.

AMERICAN-STYLE APPLE PIE

The following Americanstyle Apple Pie has a brown sugar, honey and walnut topping and in my opinion, is superb. For an 8-9 inch pie you will need:

2| cups sliced peeled cooking apples One third cup white sugar

| teaspoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg . 175-225 g shortcrust pastry 2 tablespoons honey | cup brown sugar 2 tablespoons butter 1 egg ). cup chopped walnuts

Method: Line pie plate with pastry rolled to about i inch thickness and flute edge; prick base well with fork. Slice apples thinly and combine with white sugar and spices and put into lined dish. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Mix honey, brown sugar and butter and bring to a boil. Cool. Add beaten egg and nuts. Remove pie from oven and pour honey mixture over top of apples. Return to 400 oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 and bake for a further 25-30 minutes or until filling is set, apples are soft and lightly browned. Serve warm. APPLE PIE WITH CHEESE It is quite customary in England to eat Cheddar cheese with apple pie — the flavours blend very well. Here is an apple pie cooked with grated cheese.

For a two crust 8-9 inch pie you will need: 225-275 g shortcrust pastry 1 cup sugar 2 J - 3 cups sliced cooking apples 1 tablespoon flour 1 teaspoon nutmeg

j teaspoon cinnamon One third cup grated Cheddar cheese

Method: Line tart plate with thiniy rolled pastry, reserving sufficient for top crust. Prick base with fork. Combine sugar, flour and spices and rub a little of this into the pastry lining. Fill dish with sliced apples sufficient to come just to the level of the plate rim. Sprinkle over the cheese and cover with pastry. Slash top with sharp knife or the prongs of a fork, glaze with a little milk or beaten egg and bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 - 350 and continue cooking for 35 - 40 minutes. Sprinkle with sieved icing sugar and serve warm. APPLE PAN DOWDY And finally Apple Pan Dowdy. I am not sure of the origin of it but it must be American. It is certainly very good eating. This is made in a deep dish and does not require pastry. For six servings you will need: 5 cups sliced and peeled cooking apples 1 cup brown sugar i cup flour | teaspoon salt 1 dessertspoon vinegar i teaspoon each of nutmeg and cinnimon 1 dessertspoon lemon juice 2 tablespoons butter additional 1 cup flour j teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon baking powder 3 tablespoons butter 5 cup milk

Method: Mix brown sugar, i cup flour, | teaspoon salt and add vinegar mixed with 1 cup cold water. Cook over low heat stirring continually until thickened. Cool. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice and butter and blend well. Sift 1 cup flour with baking powder and salt and cut in the butter leaving it in small lumps about the size of green peas. Add milk and blend lightly. The mixture should be moist and lumpy. Place apples in well greased ovenproof dish and pour over the prepared syrup then drop the flour mixture in spoonfuls on top. Bake at 375 for 40 - 45 minutes and serve warm with ice cream or cream.