Newsletter #4 –Fruit Desserts – Apples

These days in Australia we enjoy year round supply of many fresh fruits. So much so that many people overlook or forget the fact that at any given period of time some fruits are not in season in Australia and hence are imported from far away. People are not even daunted by the sometimes outrageous prices, the age of the fruit or its poor quality when it is purchased at the wrong time. It is not uncommon at a supermarket to observe people lamenting the price of grapes in winter or the lack of sweetness in watermelons in August.

So I thought let’s celebrate Autumn and its abundance of local, delicious apples and pears, plus a few quinces.  First up we will investigate the Granny Smith apple from its accidental discovery to its world famous status. Tarte Tatin, a classic French dessert along with Apple and Quince Crumble are then on the menu.

The Granny Smith Story

When I was growing up in Epping, N.S.W, naturally I had heard of the Granny Smith apple. Later I learnt part of the story and I found out that Grannies farm had been in the neighbouring suburb of Eastwood. In 1985 a few years after our family moved away from Sydney, The Granny Smith Festival started in Eastwood and we attended the festival a number of times in the 1990’s.

You could say that I was more than surprised when, upon investigation I realised that Granny’s farm was on the street where we had lived, albeit at the Eastwood end of the street.

The leafy suburb of Eastwood was once rich farmland, famous for its orchards. It was here that Maria Ann Smith (Granny) and her husband purchased a small orchard in the mid 1850’s. Over time Maria became a prominent and successful local citizen, nicknamed Granny Smith. In the late 1860’s, on her orchard, a chance seedling of uncertain origin, was discovered and cultivated. That seedling became the apple which is named after Maria.

Maria died only two years later but her apple was already popular with Sydneysiders. Interest surged in the 1890’s and the apple started winning awards, prompting Government interest. After The Great War one of Australia’s biggest fruit exports was the Granny Smith Apple.

The rich soil of Eastwood is still there, mostly covered with houses on generous blocks. Close to where that famous orchard was, you can contemplate Maria and her apple as you sit in the Granny Smith Memorial Park.

 

Tarte Tatin

There are a number of stories about cookery mistakes with a happy ending – this is one of them. At their hotel in France the Tatin sisters created this simple dessert but with an impressive flavour you won’t be able to resist.

Many Tarte Tatin recipes call for a skillet that you can also place in the oven. I used a 22cm glass Pyrex and hoped for the best. You could use a lined spring form but you will need to have a tray under it when it goes in the oven. You will need a small saucepan to cook the caramel and a clean wooden spoon.

     

Ingredients: 

• 200ml water
• 150g caster sugar
• 75g unsalted butter
• 5 x Granny smith apples, washed, peeled, cored, cut in 4- 6 wedges
• 1 x 25 cm square, sheet of puff pastry, thawed and cut into a circle (the diameter of your dish).
• Unsweetened whipped cream for serving

 

 

                 

       

Method: 

• Lightly grease your skillet or dish with butter
• Place the water in the saucepan and the pour the sugar into the centre. Turn to medium heat. Bring to boil slowly. Do not stir the sugar.
• Preheat your oven to 190c
• The sugar should have dissolved by the time the water boils. Again leave the saucepan alone. You probably have about 20 minutes before the caramel is ready.
• As the water evaporates the sugar becomes syrupy and shortly after you will notice a hint of light caramel colour. This is good.
• Turn the heat down to low the colour will darken quickly.
• Take the saucepan off the heat.
• Carefully add the butter. It will bubble vigorously. Stir with the spoon until the butter is incorporated. The caramel should have a creamy texture. Return to the heat.
• Add the apple. Gently stir to coat the apple. Continue the cooking process for 3-4 minutes as you stir. You need to retain the shape of the wedges but at the same time cook them a little.
• Arrange the apple in the base of your dish. The outside of the apple faces down, for best presentation. Once you think it looks OK fill in any gaps with smaller bits of apple.
• Pour the caramel mix over the apple.
• Finally cover the apple with the pastry round. Push the pastry down the sides. There is no need to brush the pastry with anything as the pastry forms the base of this dessert.
• Place the dish in the oven. Bake until the pastry is golden brown – about 35-40 minutes.
• When ready, take out and cool for about 15 minutes.
• Invert the Tarte Tatin on to your serving plate.
• Serve warm with whipped cream.

Granny Smith Apple and Quince Crumble

Makes four individual portions (4 x 10cm diameter ramekins)

Crumble:

• 70g Unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup Brown Sugar
• 1¼ cup Plain flour
• ½ cup Oats
• ½ Coconut – desiccated or shredded
• Couple of drops of vanilla paste or essence

 

 

 

 

Method:

• In your mixer cream the butter, brown sugar and vanilla.
• On low speed add the flour. Beat until breadcrumb consistency
• Add oats and coconut. Continue beating on low speed. After a couple of minutes the crumble should have a coarse granular appearance. Ready.

           

Filling:

• 2x medium G.S. apples, washed, peeled, cored, cut in thin wedges
• One Quince, washed ripe, medium size, peeled, cored, cut in wedges
• ¼ cup caster sugar.
• 2 cups water
• ½ cinnamon stick
• ¼ lemon

 

Method:

• In a small saucepan over medium heat place the sugar, water, cinnamon and lemon
• When the sugar is dissolved add the Quince. Simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, until the Quince is tender.
• When done take off heat.
• In a separate saucepan (lidded) place the apple and a ½ cup of the Quince syrup.
• Bring the apple to the boil and give it a stir. Turn the heat down and lid the pot
• Cook for 5 -8 minutes. The apples can over cook very quickly. When tender remove from heat.
• Add the Quince and a little of the syrup to the apple. Gently mix the two fruits together.

 

Assembly:

• Set your oven to 175c
• Divide the apple/quince mix between the four ramekins
• Spoon the crumble mix over the top of the apple generously
• Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and then into the oven.
• Cook for 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling up the side.
• Serve with Vanilla ice cream.

Notes:

• The crumble mix keeps very well in the fridge and of course the freezer, as does the cooked fruit.
• This crumble mix is suitable for all types of fruit crumbles such as berries, peaches and rhubarb.
• Retain the unused syrup for future use.

 

Look for ‘Pears’ later in the week in newsletter # 5