“If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you’ll first need to create the universe”.
Carl Sagan.
Hello, young Padawan
We definitely have a problem with this blog. As soon as I talk about beauty, people ask me for recipes, as soon as I suggest a recipe, I am told: “When will I get a philosophy article?”, As soon as I philosophize, I am asked to talk about music, as soon as I’m talking about music, I’m reminded that: “Hey, it’s been a long time since we discussed garden and plants here” … in short, we’re in deep trouble! All this for my greatest happiness, of course. It makes me smile to receive some messages, here and there, from excited Padawans about the next post, sincerely, whether it’s below in the comments, on Instagram, or Facebook: a big thank you to everyone for your support.
And so recently, I was asked for a few more recipes. So, it is with the greatest joy that I take out of my hat a decadent dessert, quite simple, but so delicious and which was in my recipe file to be published for a while – well, let’s say I needed an opportunity, I was asked for recipes, here’s one!
We are certainly on the verge of the end of the apple season. Still, since organic Fuji, for example, is there from January to June (a late variety, ed), I told myself that a cute apple pie would be welcome for a Sunday lunch or a chilly weekend on a late afternoon.
As soon as requested, as soon as sent, or almost: here is the recipe for “my” apple pie.
In a few moments, she will look better, with a little tan …
Chill by Caro’s Apple Pie
An organic puff pastry
4 to 6 organic apples, depending on the size of your apples, your puff pastry, your mold …
A jar of medium-sized, organic applesauce (here I’m using a 12,6 oz jar of natural organic applesauce, no added sugars) – or homemade applesauce with 5 medium-sized apples.
1/2 tsp vanilla powder (or 2 vanilla pods)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp cane sugar
3 tsp of powder pralin (it’s roasted and sweetened powdered hazelnuts)
A pinch of salt
A handful of pistachios in their natural state, that is to say not roasted, unsalted
2 tsp butter or margarine
RECIPE
Option 1: Spread the puff pastry flat on the baking sheet, like a pizza, to make a thin apple pie.
Option 2: In a pie tin like here (see photo), to make a classic pie.
I do both, these two options are nice and look pretty.
Preheat the oven to 356 ° F.
Place the puff pastry in the pie dish or on the cold baking sheet of your oven with its baking paper. Prick the dough all over, insisting on the edges.
Spread the applesauce all over the dough with love, glory, beauty, and the help of a spoon.
Wash the apples and cut them in half. Do not peel them if they are organic, yep here we bake the pies with the skin, but you do well as you want; it’s yours, lol. Using a Parisian apple spoon (you know, the spoons to make fruit or vegetable balls – if you don’t have one you can use an ordinary coffee spoon, ed), hollow out the apples, make a small notch to gently remove the butt, and the head (peduncle and sepal, ed).
Cut the apple halves into thin slices. Either with the help of a mandolin or with a knife, like your faithful servant, you choose. The goal is to be able to draw a pretty rosette on the apple pie. I usually start by doing it with four apples and add more if necessary, if my rosette of apples is not finished. For the pie in the photo, I needed five apples. The slices in the center of the apples, i.e. the largest, will be used for the largest circle, the others for the smallest circle, and for the decoration in the middle.
For the rosette: Start with the outside of the pie, i.e., the largest circle, then work your way back to the center. The easiest solution is to proceed as in the photo, namely two circles of apples. The apples should be laid out very tightly. Do not hesitate to press gently with the flat of your hand to flatten everything when, by stacking the slices, the apples rise a bit. If a few slices remain, slide them in between using a small, thin, flat knife. No mess, lol. To close each circle, you can also use a small, thin, flat knife to lift the first slice and slide the last one into it. If you have missed slices, if some of them are not pretty, you can put them flat on the applesauce before starting your rosette.
It is possible to make other shapes, like a spiral, for example. Everyone has their own preferences; I find that it takes a little longer and that the rendering is not up to the extra minutes allocated to this task, lol. But if that’s your thing, please, have fun! Cooking is also to spend a quality and meditative moment with yourself; see my article here.
In a small bowl, pour the vanilla powder (or split the vanilla pods and scrape the grains with the slice of a knife), cinnamon, salt, sugar, and praline, stir, then gently sprinkle everything above the apples. Spread a few knobs of butter all over the apples—Bake for 30 minutes at 356 ° F.
Meanwhile, using a wooden board, a good knife, and a little patience, roughly crush the pistachios. If you’re afraid of cutting yourself, you can use a mortar for grinding, or the bonus trick: place your pistachios in a clean Ziploc bag or kitchen towel, put it on a cutting board, and tap it with a rolling pin. Pistachios, not the people who irritate you – be careful to aim well.
When the pie has spent its first 30 minutes in the oven, lower the temperature to 320 ° F, remove the pie, sprinkle the pistachios, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes at 320 ° F. Be careful with your oven, make sure that the dough and the apples are cooked, but not too much: the dough must be crisp, the apples soft, the whole as to be golden, but not burnt!
Take the pie out of the oven and leave it for a few minutes at room temperature.
Note: The problem with baking pistachios is that they turn yellow-brown, yuck. So your faithful servant being a bit of a “pistachio maniac” by adding them just at the end of cooking, the problem is solved. They remain green but are still slightly roasted.
Presentation
While still hot, cut slices of pie and place them on pretty dessert plates. Maniacs like me will serve this pie with a knife and a dessert fork because that’s how we do in French gastronomy, but you can also present it with a spoon, I promise, I wouldn’t call the pastry chefs’ police, nor Gordon Ramsay. Know, however, that the pastry chef that I am is already judging you, lol.
Otherwise, in terms of presentation: A cute mint leaf on the pie, a bowl of raw cider on the side and that’s it. The scoop of vanilla ice cream is too much in my opinion because there is already enough taste with spices, praline, and so on, but you do what you want, on this one, no judgment, your preferences will be welcome.
You don’t need me for that, but just in case: know that you can cut this sublime pie into slices the size of your choice and freeze them to take them out however you want. Then you can reheat the pieces in the oven for a few minutes. They will find all their fresh beauty from the first day.
With that, if you don’t have a good weekend, I really don’t know what to do !
XO 🍏
