Apple tart

I loooooooovvveeeeeeeee Bramley apples and pretty much everything they're connected with... Crumble, pie, compote, chutney (as previously mentioned), tart, flan, pastry... Yum yum yum. Pretty sure I'd be happy with just a bowl of stewed apples with raisins in so long as the bowl was big enough. Add to that the bonus that it's basically a health food (maybe not quite this recipe!) and everybody is, indeed, a winner.

So, on to the recipe - apologies for the lack of inter-recipe photo's (not sure that's even a word but hey) but I was in a frenzy of kitchen-ing and forgot. Bad blogger!

I made this this weekend for a cheese and wine event pudding. I didn't want anything too heavy but still a nice, comforting pud which was still a bit naughty :)

French style apple and vanilla tart


Ingredients: 
Pastry
 - 250g plain flour
 - 125 g chilled unsalted butter
 - 125g caster sugar (or vanilla sugar, see below)
 - 4 large egg yolks
 - a smidgen of cold water

Filling
 - 500g (peeled and chopped weight) Bramleys, roughly cut into chunks
 - 6 tbsp greengage jam - you can use apricot if you like
 - juice of a lemon
 - sugar to taste
 - seeds from a vanilla pod

Topping
 - 4 or 5 Braeburn eating apples (you could use Granny Smiths or another fairly sharp variety)
 - dusting of cinnamon
 - another 2 tbsp jam
 - couple of little knobs of butter
 - sprinkle of brown sugar

Method:

1. Filling: First, plonk the pommes and a tbsp or two of water into a big microwave proof bowl, pop it on a plate and a plate on top (best way to avoid explosions but if one happens it will catch the overspill!). I microwave mine for about 4 mins, stir it, then about another 4 or 5 on full power. I end this is the easiest way to stew apples, but please feel free to use a traditional saucepan effort thingy if you like ;)
2. Then, add the jam, lemon juice, vanilla and sugar to taste. Then plop the whole lot into a pan and boil for 10-15 mins, stirring all the time, so it goes thick and jammy. If you don't stir it will splutter all over you and give you and your hob a sticky, ouch-hot apple covering, you have been warned!
3. Let it cool. You can make this a day or two in advance as long as you can resist eating it in the fridge...
4. Pastry: This is my method for pastry making, works for me but if you have another you like (or a food processor, which I don't have as I don't have a cupboard big enough and have a tidiness obsession which means I couldn't leave one out on the worktop. Anyway, again, irrelevant ramble...!).  I put the flour in a bowl, grate the butter in with a cheese grater and then either rub it in with your fingers or stick it in a freestanding mixer with the paddle attachment til it's sandy. Then, stir in the sugar*, add the egg yolks and a little water to bond, give it a couple of squeezes so it's in a ball, then set aside.        *sugar - stick old vanilla pods which you've used the seeds from in a tupperware or jar with caster sugar = vanilla sugar = ruddy lovely!
5. Grease a flan dish or tin (mine's about 10" diameter) and roll the pastry out and line the dish. It does't matter if the pastry falls apart, just squidge it back together.
6. Stick it in the fridge for half an hour, and put your oven on to 190C.
7. Blind bake it with greaseproof and baking beans for 15 mins, then take the beans and paper out and give it another 5 mins.
8. And finally... Let the pastry cool a bit, add enough filling to come 3/4 up the pastry, and then peel, core and slice the Braeburns. Lay them in nice neat layers on top, dot some butter over the tart, sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon and bake for 35 mins. Microwave the last bit of jam for 30s or so and brush over the tart to glaze it.

This can be served warm or cold, with creme anglaise, custard, ice cream or something like a salted caramel sauce would be A-Mazing. Enjoy!

On the subject of greengage jam I love it. My Granny used to make it and it's a beautiful, traditional english-french fruit with delicious sweet flesh and slightly tart skins. In my opinion, you can't beat it, but it can be hard to get hold of (Tesco finest do it, which I'm extremely pleased about!) but it is one of my life's ambitions to get a horde of fresh greengages and make my own... See also damson jam, the second best jam in the world!