2013 Cooking Club Week 11: Apple Tart

confusticated

I know this is 2 fruit-based desserts in a row, but I'd all the photos taken before last week's recipe went up so no way was I changing!

This recipe is really simple, I'm pretty sure it's from the All in the Cooking book that was the bible for most Irish kitchens in the 70s/80s and that my mam still has. This is probably the first thing I learned how to make. There's always apple tart at home, it's lovely and comforting on cold horrible winter nights (like tonight) and good cold as part of a picnic in the summer. I used to bring a slice as part of my school lunch too and it's a nice one to have if there's a crowd in the house, most people like apple tart. Anyway, on to the recipe.



Ingredients (makes 2):

1lb/450g flour
8oz/225g margarine
4 large cooking apples
caster sugar
approx. 200ml cold water
cinnamon/cloves/mixed spice (optional)

Equipment:

2 dinner plates
Mixing bowl
Knife/Vegetable peeler
Grater
Rolling pin
Scales

Method:

Preheat your oven to 200 C, 180 C for a fan oven.

Mix the flour and margarine with your fingertips until you get the consistency of breadcrumbs. General rule is your palms should be clean all the time.

Make a well in the centre of the bowl and pour in the water a little at a time. Mix this by moving your hand in increasing circles and pulling in the flour mixture as you go.


(I don't know why it's coming out so grey and yellow, it was a uniform yellowy colour I swear!)

Don't worry if you put in slightly too much water (I did), just add more flour and it'll come together. Knead it briefly into a ball, and turn it out onto a floured worktop. (You can put it in the fridge for a while now if you want, but I never bother.) Cut into quarters, put three of them back in your mixing bowl and roll out the fourth. I hope for your sake you've a bigger worktop than mine, rolling this out was not easy! Roll it out until it's bigger than your plate.



Grease your dinner plates with a little bit of butter or margarine. Transfer the rolled-out pastry to the first plate by folding it up, lifting it onto the plate and unfolding it. It's much easier than lifting the pastry straight up and unlikely to tear it.




Trim around the edges of the plate with a sharp knife and throw the scraps of pastry into your mixing bowl to be kneaded with the next quarter (or give it to your kids to make shapes for the top of the apple tart, we started off doing that before being allowed onto the serious jobs like sprinkling sugar...)

When you have two plates lined with pastry, move onto the apples. I had slightly too many, four big cooking apples would be perfect here, six medium ones were a teeny bit too much. Depends on how you like the fruit:pastry ratio. Peel them, then grate them. It's faster than chopping them finely or chopping them then stewing them, unless you like chunky apple tart, in which case chop away! If you grate them, a lot of juice will come out in the bowl. Squeeze the juice out of each handful of apple as you put it onto the pastry, otherwise it'll make your pastry soggy and horrible. Don't go overboard drying it or anything, you need a bit of juice, but the apple will get a bit liquidy anyway as it cooks.

So from this...



you get this...



then throw half of it on top of this...



and get this! Which I know does not look pretty. The apples will go brown really quickly when grated, don't worry about it, they're going to be covered anyway.



Add about 4 big spoons of sugar or sweetener on top of this (you can use eating apples instead of cooking apples if you want, and then omit the sugar, but don't leave it out if you're using cooking apples, you will regret it). Add a shake or two of mixed spice or cinnamon at this point too if you want to. I forgot, and had to go back after putting on the lids and open them up to add it. Don't do that. Putting it back together was not fun.



Then repeat what you did for the bases with the lids - you might have to roll them a bit thinner as they have to cover a bigger area. Press the edges together very lightly and make inch-long cuts around the lid. These are just to make it look pretty, but are also a good guide for cutting slices later. Poke a few holes in the top with a fork - don't press this too deep or it will make a hole in the base, and the apples will leak through and stick to the plate. Put on any pastry shapes that may have been made now (I was boring and have none) and brush the top with a little bit of milk or egg - I'd often make scones and apple tart at the same time so would use the egg mix from the scones, but milk did the job here.

I'd stick cloves through the top at this point too, and take them out just before eating it, but my housemate hates them so not this time.



Bake for half an hour, or until the top is golden.



Leave to cool for a few minutes, boil the kettle while you're waiting, then enjoy your apple tart and a cup of tea! (There was supposed to be cream with it, but the cream didn't quite make it.)

gjc

Loving it was only thinking today was a day for apple tart can I ask you does it matter what type of flour to use I only have self raising in press . Can't wait for later today

Faith

YUM! My MIL makes gorgeous apple tarts on dinner plates, and I've been wondering how she does it. Definitely going to try this when I'm home over Easter .

confusticated

gjc wrote: »

Loving it was only thinking today was a day for apple tart can I ask you does it matter what type of flour to use I only have self raising in press . Can't wait for later today

Nope I use whatever I have! I think it makes very little difference anyway because you roll it out so flat that there's no air in it to help it rise. And if it does it won't rise much.

Dizzyblonde

That's exactly how I make my apple tarts except I slice my apples.
You've reminded me to make a couple at the weekend - you can't beat a nice apple tart. I like mine heated with cold custard poured over

hdowney

Apple Tart. Must make Also *yoink* I must steal your mug

Dizzyblonde

I made two today

BaZmO*

Looks like the same recipe my Mam uses, except that she used to make a kinda purée out of the cooking apples and then add that to the bases. My grandmother had an old apple tree in her garden that grew the perfect cooking apples. Beautiful still warm with icecream. Ah the memories.

Also used to be super impressed with my Mam's knife skills as she turned the plate in one had and cut the excess pastry away. And peeling the apples in one continuous piece!

Have to try this for old times sake.

confusticated

BaZmO* wrote: »

Looks like the same recipe my Mam uses, except that she used to make a kinda purée out of the cooking apples and then add that to the bases. My grandmother had an old apple tree in her garden that grew the perfect cooking apples. Beautiful still warm with icecream. Ah the memories.

Also used to be super impressed with my Mam's knife skills as she turned the plate in one had and cut the excess pastry away. And peeling the apples in one continuous piece!

Have to try this for old times sake.

Yeah I do that with the plate too but unfortunately couldn't show off my mad skillz because there was nobody else to take a photo!

The puree would probably be a better flavour as you'd keep the juice, but takes that bit longer and I hate having to cook stuff before baking it.

GalwayGuy2

Definitely going to do this:P

Queen-Mise

Just after throwing two of these in the oven. I had shortcrust pastry & cooking apples in the fridge that needed to be used.

I put cinnamon in mine as OP suggested which I have never done before. One out of the oven and the other still needs a few minutes.



I hate making all pastry with a vengeance so store bought is a great solution. Although I was watching a cooking programme making shortcrust pastry with a food processor - I might try and see how it comes out.
It would be really handy to make a good big to have in the freezer and then it would make it very easy making a few apple pies etc.

Mrs Fox

I halved the recipe as there are only two of us this evening. It's baking away nicely there, but I'm terrified the plate might explode as it's just a standard plate and doesn't say oven-proof at the bottom.
Fingers crossed! (...as she sits far far away from the oven)

Dizzyblonde

It should be fine - I've always made them on any old plates.

BaZmO*

As far as I can remember my Mam never had any fancy ass oven proof plates and none of them ever exploded while making apple tarts!

confusticated

Yep I've used loads of different plates for this, never had anything explode! Hope yours aren't the first to though...

gjc

Fresh out of the oven...havent tasted yet but cant wait many thanks

bought cream to go with it....heaven!!




Update : delicious!!!!

Mrs Fox

Can't put up photos at the moment but golly were they super easy and yum or what! I've only ever done deep dish apple pie (hence my earlier doubt on the ability to cook them on a dinner plate).
The pastry was fail-proof, which was a plus plus plus for a pastry bum like me. Folding the pastry instead of trying to roll them on a rolling pin when transferring to the plate was an A1 tip. I used two giant cooking apples, despite the advice to leave the sugar out I did add 2 tbsp anyway.
Thanks for the recipe OP.

confusticated

So glad you liked it and that your plate survived!

Edit: Also, just in case anyone else reads that, the advice is DON'T leave the sugar out! Cooking apples really need some, eating apples would be okay without.

gjc

Loved the recipe so diversified a little today same pastry recipe but with cheese and onion filling.....so cheese and onion pie today....I know I know....get your own thread... but thanks again to OP. I have pics but I'll be thrown outta here.;). can i just say the apple pie yesterday was the first time ive made my own pastry..usually buy it....but when you taste the homemade stuff its waaaaay better. so a first for me this week ta!!!

confusticated

gjc wrote: »

Loved the recipe so diversified a little today same pastry recipe but with cheese and onion filling.....so cheese and onion pie today....I know I know....get your own thread... but thanks again to OP. I have pics but I'll be thrown outta here.;). can i just say the apple pie yesterday was the first time ive made my own pastry..usually buy it....but when you taste the homemade stuff its waaaaay better. so a first for me this week ta!!!

It's pretty fool-proof pastry so diversify away, I'd like pics anyway so go for it! We use this for quiche base at home too, and for sausage rolls (I'm now hijacking my own thread) make the pastry as above, roll it all out a small bit thicker than you would for the tart. Lie sausages end-to-end along the pastry, in rows about four inches apart. Cut the pastry into strips with 2 inches of pastry at each side of the sausages. Fold pastry over sausages and press edges together, so you've a giant sausage roll. Cut into sections about half a sausage long - cut between each sausage and then in the middle of it so they don't fall out, brush the top with egg or milk as above, into the oven at 180C for about 25 minutes. Good snacks for small people (and big!)

Mrs Fox

confusticated wrote: »

So glad you liked it and that your plate survived!

Edit: Also, just in case anyone else reads that, the advice is DON'T leave the sugar out! Cooking apples really need some, eating apples would be okay without.

WHOOPS! I read it wrong then, thank heavens I added them in the end.

Mrs Fox

gjc wrote: »

Loved the recipe so diversified a little today same pastry recipe but with cheese and onion filling.....so cheese and onion pie today....I know I know....get your own thread... but thanks again to OP. I have pics but I'll be thrown outta here.;).

Any chance of you putting up the filling recipe & photo of the pie up on random recipe thread? Sounds divine

Dizzyblonde

I'd love to see it too, I've been wanting to make a cheese & onion pie

gjc

I posted a cheese and onion pic here tonight using your pastry recipe using cheese (cheddar/mozarrella/onion black pepper only) http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=83867394#post83867394 many thanks

Mrs Fox

Made this again last night at Mr Fox's request, so when I sent him to get ingredients, he got butter instead of margarine. Now, I love butter. I think everything tastes better with butter. But somehow the tart pastry wasn't as crunchy. The butter was very very cold when I mix them into the flour, so I thought that could've been the problem, but then I remembered that everything was supposed to be cold when making pastries anyway. So I don't know where it went wrong really.
I'll stick to good ol' stork next time round for this recipe.

Dizzyblonde

If you're using butter for shortcrust pastry it's got to be soft, otherwise it won't rub in properly. I always use Stork in the tub, I find it much easier.

ibarelycare

Double post!

ibarelycare

Made this today. First time making apple tart and pastry! I used 5 medium-large apples and there was only enough for one tart though. Maybe because I grated it so finely? Anyway it looks good, just about to taste it

pugwall

I have mine in the oven now. Nice simple recipe. I only made one though and halved the ingredients. I found the pastry difficult to role so maybe ill make extra pastry next time. I also sliced the apples instead of grating them and I added a decent pinch of cinnamon. 15 mins to go nyom nyom nyom

confusticated

pugwall wrote: »

I have mine in the oven now. Nice simple recipe. I only made one though and halved the ingredients. I found the pastry difficult to role so maybe ill make extra pastry next time. I also sliced the apples instead of grating them and I added a decent pinch of cinnamon. 15 mins to go nyom nyom nyom

How'd it turn out? And was the pastry too stiff to roll out or what? Might've needed a bit more water maybe. Glad you tried it anyhow! :-)

Dizzyblonde

I've started resting my pastry in the fridge for 20 minutes and it makes it so much easier to roll out, it's definitely worth the wait.

Mr E

Do you mean in general, or at 12:23am this morning?

It's a serious case of the munchies if you're making apple tart in the middle of the night!

Dizzyblonde

Mr E wrote: »

Do you mean in general, or at 12:23am this morning?

It's a serious case of the munchies if you're making apple tart in the middle of the night!

Only in general. If you have that serious a craving there should be no waiting!

GalwayGuy2

Hi, I'm doing this tonight, and I was wondering how many grams would the apples be? I'd say six small ones would be enough?

confusticated

No idea what weight they'd be, sorry, but I'd say six small ones would probably be grand - mine were on the small side of medium and were ever so slightly too much, so yours should be fine. It's fairly approximate anyway, people like different amounts of apple to pastry! hope you like it.

GalwayGuy2

Tried it yesterday and I made a disaster of it I didn't put any sugar in it, and the pastry was badly put on. Although first time I made pastry so yay.

confusticated

Oh no! Well practice makes perfect seriously, keep trying with the pastry, it can come in handy on a lot of things. Hope it hasn't frightened you off! Also hope you realised you'd forgotten the sugar before you bit into it...the sourness is making me pull a face without eating anything.

GalwayGuy2

Oh no! Well practice makes perfect seriously, keep trying with the pastry, it can come in handy on a lot of things. Hope it hasn't frightened you off! Also hope you realised you'd forgotten the sugar before you bit into it...the sourness is making me pull a face without eating anything.

Eating apples Nah, making the pastry made a mess of everything in a five mile radius, but I felt like a domestic God while doing it :P

Mary-Ellen

I made one over the weekend, it was yummy thanks for the recipe

Faith

I made this today . I left my apples in chunks because I prefer them that way. I found the dough pretty easy to make, but despite my best intentions, I overworked it and it was quite tough . I also used eating apples, because I made this out of a desire just to bake something, rather than buying the necessary ingredients. They didn't have enough flavour to sustain the tart, but now that I know my plates won't crack in the oven, I'll definitely try it again soon with cooking apples.

confusticated

Getting over the fear of cracked/exploding plates is the most important part! Thanks for trying it

fitzcoff

used your pastry recipe for rhubarb tarts over the weekend, nice and tasty and the best part about making tarts is using the leftover pastry/off cuts for a jam tart, which the kids love to make.

They love to decorate the jam tart in their own style as you can see from the photo.

thanks op

confusticated

Thanks for trying it!

amklo

Made this yesterday and it turned out great...delighted as my last attempt at a tart (Rhubarb) was a bit of a disaster.
Made a small cheese and onion tart, which I found the idea from somewhere on this site, with the leftover pastry and it was delish!

MetzgerMeister

I saw this yesterday so gave it a try.



Thanks a mill for the directions OP!

confusticated

They look great!

MetzgerMeister

Question! What's the best way to use cloves in order to have the whole tart tasting of them? I did as my granny used do by putting them on top of the apples. Thing is, I hate the feel of them in my mouth and I always pick them out of a slice before I eat it.

Would ground cloves be a good idea or can I stick a few cloves through the top, bake and then take them out afterwards?

oscarBravo

If you like clove flavour but don't like chewing on 'em, ground cloves would be the way to go. You'll have to experiment with quantities.

MetzgerMeister

A sprinkling should do the trick :P

confusticated

Either works! Ground is better for even flavouring, but a ring of cloves stuck in the top can look pretty.

MetzgerMeister

I've just made round 5 of 2 x tarts. I did one cinnamon and one whole cloves. Also I did a huge filling and there's not really much of an edge to them but they taste magnificent