apple and strawberry crumble

JUNE 2, 2015

Winter has arrived with full force in Cape Town as our first big cold front hits. Up until now we’ve had a long and beautiful autumn and I’ve loved spending so much time in the vineyards soaking in all the beautiful colours. I decided that this apple and strawberry crumble was perfect for todays stormy weather and I’ve been dying to make it since I first tried it a couple of months back. The strawberries add so much value, and it has officially become my favourite crumble recipe.

Sophie is a cousin of a friend of mine who also happens to be a qualified pastry chef and this is her recipe (more or less). It’s utterly delicious. She served it with a vanilla bean crème anglaise which finished it off perfectly and reminded me how important it is to go the extra mile with what we serve our crumble with. My preference will always be lightly whipped cream with vanilla (Chantilly cream), home-made vanilla ice cream, or crème anglaise.

This recipe is a little extra special because I used unrefined golden caster sugar from Natura. Yes that’s right, we now have a super premium range of amazing naturally produced sugars in South Africa (made in Mauritius) and I could not be happier. Check out their website to see the range and also to see where they are selling the product. If you understand mass sugar production, the molasses is refined out the sugar and then added back. Here they make it keeping everything locked in. Its unbleached, non GM and non irradiated. It tastes like sugar is supposed to taste and the flavours come shining through. Obviously this process is much more labour intensive and time-consuming so the product will be more expensive, but the quality and taste is simply exceptional. I cant wait to play around with all the other variants.

This strawberry and apple crumble has a super crunchy topping and the slivered almonds add extra crispness. As a textural eater this is hugely important to me.

Cooks notes ~ I used frozen strawberries because they are just as good for this purpose and quite convenient to have all year round. Just allow them to thaw first. Cut the apples into whatever size you like, but I like mediums sized chunks so they still hold their bite. The strawberries make a lot of pink syrupy sauce which is delicious. I used Golden Delicious apples.

Recipe – Makes one decent size crumble to serve 6 people

Filling:

• 350g fresh or frozen strawberries
• 6 apples, peeled, cored and cut into medium & even sized chunks
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 80ml golden caster sugar or regular caster sugar

Crumble topping:

• 120g butter
• 120g flour
• 120g golden caster sugar
• 50 – 80g sliced almonds (raw)

Crème anglaise:

• 1 cup (250ml) milk
• 1 vanilla pod
• 60g sugar
• 3 free range egg yolks 

Pre heat the oven to 180C.

Mix all the filling ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

To make the crumble topping, either do this by hand, or as I do, and whizz it through my food processor. Mix all the crumble ingredients except the nuts together until it looks like a fine crumb. Then using your hands, clump the crumbs together to make bigger bits.

Spread the apple and strawberry filling in an appropriately sized oven proof dish and sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the top. Scatter the almonds and bake for 35 – 40 minutes until the pie is bubbling and the top is golden brown. * If the top is over browning during baking, cover loosely with a piece of tin foil (I pretty much do this with most of my baking.

Stay warm x

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pomegranate scones

DECEMBER 10, 2014

While developing recipes for my second cookbook (due to be published in March 2015) I desperately wanted to do a fresh fruit scone. I tested a few options but each time the raspberries, figs or blueberries broke up too much and affected the integrity of the recipe. They tasted great but didn’t rise enough or hold together well. I came up with a very cool recipe but you are going to have to wait until next year to find out what I did. Hopefully when you buy my book.

Pomegranate seeds are the perfect solution to this problem. The berries are sturdy and contain their juice in firm little jewels. They only break at a later stage of baking or when you put the scone in your mouth. And yes, that is the best part. When the little juicy bits burst while eating these tasty scones.

I stumbled on this recipe recently, and given my history with fruity scone trials, I knew I wanted to give them a go. They were perfect. I love the sugary crust which adds texture, and the flavour of the scone was delicious. An all round winner of a recipe. The only thing I would do next time is add more Pomegranate seeds (I’ve adjusted the quantity from 1/2 cup to 3/4 of a cup, but you could even do a full cup).

Recipe – makes 8 scones from Making today Beautiful

• 2 cups flour
• 1/3 cup sugar + and extra T for sprinkling
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/4 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 8 Tbls butter, 1 stick or 113gm (cold or frozen)
• 3/4 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk or half & half or cream (I guess full cream milk would work too, I used avapourated milk)
• 1 large free-range egg

Preheat your oven to 400F / 200C.

Mix the flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Grate the butter into the flour mixture on the large holes of a grater. Using your fingers work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles a coarse crumb. Stir in pomegranate seeds.

In another bowl, whisk the cream / milk and egg until smooth.

Using a fork, stir cream/ egg mixture into flour mixture until a dough forms.

Empty the dough onto a well floured surface and need briefly so that it comes together. Pat down to form a large flattened disk. Using a sharp floured knife or pastry cutter cut the dough into 8 triangles. Place these on a lined baking tray allowing space in between  each. Sprinkle the 1 tablespoon of sugar over the top surface of the scones.

Bake for about 15 minutes until golden brown.

I love to serve scones straight from the oven with lashings of butter. These were also lovely with an aged sharp Cheddar cheese.

*scones also freeze very well if you per chance have any left over.

I look forward to connecting with you again in the future.

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the famous purple plum torte

NOVEMBER 17, 2014

This purple plum torte is one of those recipes you see floating around the internet from time to time and always wonder if it really can be as good as its made out to be. I mean it’s a basic cake batter plus plums. Anyway, its been at the back front of my mind to make soon as stone fruits started coming into season.

I spotted these super small plums last week which looked perfect for the recipe, but in my over eagerness I didn’t stop to question their ripeness. Sadly they were not yet in their prime. It would be ideal to use ripe Italian prune plums, but if you can’t find these then use whatever ripe plums you can find. Do what I didnt do, and eat them first to see what  they taste like. 

Despite this, its absolutely sensational and I can immediately see why it became so famous and probably regarded as the bestever plum torte ever made. You can read the back story of the origins of the recipe where I first potted it on the fabulous Smitten Kitchen.

The batter is ridiculously easy to make especially if you have a stand mixer. Halving and pitting the 12 or so plums becomes the hardest part of the job. The plums turn into gooey, jammy pools in the cake and the cinnamon sugar topping adds a lovely flavour and texture. I made it the day before which is advised, the flavour develops overnight and I cant wait to bake it again as soon as I find riper plums. I also have a few recipe variations to this perfect recipe up my sleeve. This one is a keeper.

Marian Burros’ Famous Purple Plum Torte ~ from Elegant but Easy and The Essential New York Times Cookbook,

• 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 t baking powder
• Large pinch of salt
• 1 cup (200 gms) granulated sugar plus 1 to 2 tablespoon (depending on sweetness of plums)
• 1/2 cup (115 gms) butter, at room temperature
• 2 large free-range eggs
• 12 small Italian prune plums (or other small plums), halved and pitted
• 2 t fresh lemon juice
• 1 t ground cinnamon

Pre heat over to 18-C / 350°F.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter butter and 1 cup of sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time making sure each is well incorporated before adding the next. Add the dry ingredients and mix briefly unti just combined.

Spoon the cake batter into a greased 23 cm / 9-inch springform cake tin with the bottom lined with baking paper and smooth the top. Arrange the plums, skin side up evenly over the batter. Sprinkle the top with the lemon juice, then the cinnamon and remaining two tablespoons of sugar

Bake until the cake is golden and a sharp knife inserted into a center part of the cake comes out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes. If your cake is over browning, loosely cover with foil from about ¾ of the way through the baking time. Cool on rack.

Once cool, leave at room temperature over night before taking it out of the tin. You could serve this with whipped cream dolloped on top or with a light sifting of icing sugar.

I look forward to connecting with you again in the future.

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Baked Apple Cider Doughnut Holes

Baked Apple Cider Doughnut Holes

Baked Apple Cider Doughnut Holes

makes 24-48 mini muffins or "donut holes" **

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 large egg
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup apple butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup apple cider
• 1/3 cup plain yogurt (I used plain nonfat Greek yogurt)
• 2 Tbsp canola oil
• canola cooking spray
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a mini muffin pan with cooking spray. 
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. 
3. In another large bowl, whisk together the egg, brown sugar, apple butter, vanilla extract, honey, apple cider, yogurt, and canola oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredient mixture and whisk until just incorporated. Don't over-mix - a few lumps are okay. 
4. Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, fill a 24-hole mini muffin pan with the batter; fill each hole only 3/4 of the way, or you'll end up with huge mini muffins (maxi muffins?). Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes and cool on a wire rack. 
5. While donut holes are still warm, melt butter in a microwave safe dish. Combine cinnamon and sugar in another dish. Using a pastry brush, very lightly brush a tiny bit of melted butter onto the top of each donut hole, then dip the top of the muffin in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Roll the donut hole in the cinnamon sugar to coat the sides and top. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Alternatively, you can dust the cooled donut holes with powdered sugar; I prefer the texture of the cinnamon sugar, so I went in that direction. You can also omit the butter - the cinnamon sugar sticks nicely to the donut holes. 

**Depending on the size of the holes in your mini muffin pan, you may get many more donut holes than I did - the mini muffins from my pan appear to be a bit larger than the average mini muffin pan. Take a look at the comments below to see how many other readers were able to make from this recipe - most get about 36-48 minis. 

Now go light a fire in your fireplace, make some hot mulled apple cider, and enjoy some baked donut holes! Or just eat them on their own - they're delicious either way. 

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Classic apple pie with cinnamon cream

Classic apple pie with cinnamon cream

I have this idea of how my future will be. I’ll be in my 50’s/60’s, my kids will be grown up living happy, successful lives of their own and I will be travelling. A lot. But then my kids will phone me and say “Mom, I’m dying for your (enter iconic mom dish here). Come home.” And I will, and I will cook it for them and they will look at me with complete adoration in their eyes. And often, people will laugh at me when I tell them about this little fantasy of mine. But then the other day, Aidan comes to me and says “Mamma, please please please can you make me apple pie again. Your apple pie is the best.” And I knew, right then, that I am not being unrealistic. Because let’s face it, we all have that one (or more) dish that our moms just make the best. Even my mom, not the most eager of cooks, had dishes that she just kicked ass with. Her chicken-fried steak, chicken liver pate andmarshmallow fridge tart are to this day some of the most delicious things I have ever eaten.

And as a mom, there is nothing (and I mean nothing!) better than having your family love the food you cook for them. The kids feel the same about my chicken pie (I’m starting to see a pattern here…) and C feels that way about my…well anything with bacon in it, to be honest.

And so, I made an apple pie. And the whole time I was busy making the pastry, slicing the apples, whipping the cream, Aidan popped his head around the corner, asking when I would be done. He also kept telling me that this was the prettiest pie and he just couldn’t wrap his head around the lattice top. And to be honest, it takes a second or two to figure it out but the reward is so much bigger than the amount of effort it takes to create this pretty topping. My brother said that the pie didn’t even look real. “It looks like a cartoon pie!” And that’s all down the pretty lattice top. This is not only an aesthetic thing though, the lattice top also allows the steam to escape efficiently, allowing your pie filling to become jammy and the pastry to stay crisp. In fact, I didn’t even blind-bake the pastry before hand. I simply chilled it efficiently before filling with the apples and baking. The end result was this beautiful pie with its golden, crisp pastry and jammy apple-y interior. Serve with a dollop of soft, cinnamon-scented whipped cream and you have home in every bite.

Classic apple pie with cinnamon cream

 

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

 

Author: Alida Ryder

Recipe type: Baking, Baked goods, Dessert

Serves: 10

Ingredients

for the pastry

• 400g flour
• 200g salted, chilled butter, cubed
• 50g caster sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 3-4 tablespoons ice water

for the filling

• 6 apples (I used 3 Granny Smith and 3 Pink lady apples), sliced
• 3 heaped tablespoons muscavado (soft brown) sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• 2 tablespoons corn flour/corn starch
• pinch of salt
• 1 egg, beaten (for brushing the pastry)

for the cinnamon cream

• 1 cup cream whipped with 1 tablespoon of caster sugar
• ½-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. To make the pastry, place the flour, butter and sugar in the bowl of a food processor then pulse until the mixture resembles rough bread crumbs.
2. Add the egg yolks and pulse until they are mixed in.
3. With the mixer running, slowly pour the water in, a spoon at a time, until the pastry comes together in a ball.
4. Remove from the food processor. Divide the mixture in two, with one piece being slightly bigger than the other (the bigger half will be for the bottom of the pie).
5. Roll the bigger half out on a floured surface, ensuring it's big enough to cover the bottom of your pie dish.
6. Place the pie dish in the fridge and allow to chill.
7. Roll the remaining dough out and cut into 10 slices, approximately 1.5cm wide. Place on a piece of parchment paper and place in the fridge to chill for at least 15 minutes.
8. Pre-heat the oven to 180°c.
9. To make the filling, combine all the ingredients and mix well.
10. Remove the chilled pie case from the fridge and brush the edges with beaten egg yolk.
11. Place the filling in the chilled pie case then cover the pie with the remaining slices of pastry. crimp the edges and cut away any excess pastry.
12. Brush the pie with the remaining beaten egg and place in the oven.
13. Allow to bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. If the pastry starts to brown too much, simply cover it with a piece of foil and continue baking.
14. Remove the pie from the oven and allow to chill to room temperature before serving with the cinnamon cream.

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