This is a fancy looking apple dessert that is looks really neat to serve when guests come.
You can serve it dusted with icing sugar, with custard or with cream.
You can make your own puff pastry for this but I always buy it ready-made because it is quicker that way.
Ingredients:
30 gm(1 ounce) butter or margarine
1/4 cup brown sugar
500 gm (8 ounces) apples, peeled, cored and diced
1 grated teaspoon grated lemon rind (if liked)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons sultanas
500 gm (8 ounces) block puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
Method:
Heat oven to 220 degrees Celsius.
Melt butter and sugar in a pan. Add apple, lemon rind and juice and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat. Add nutmeg, cinnamon and sultanas. Stir well and then set aside.
Roll out half of the pastry to a 24cm x 18 cm (11 " x 7 ") rectangle. Place on a greased baking tray or on baking paper. Spread fruit mixture onto the pastry but leave a 2 cm (one inch) gap around the four sides. Brush this edge with egg.
Roll out the other half of the pastry to the same size. This second sheet of pastry needs to be cut into "slashes" about 2 cm apart (3/4 inch) but don't slash within 2 cm (3/4 inch) of the edges. Carefully place this sheet of pastry on top of the fruit and gently press the edges together. Try to open up the "slashes" slightly to give a decorative effect. Glaze the top with the beaten egg.
Bake at 220 degrees Celsius (425 degrees Fahrenheit) for about 25 minutes.
Serves 4 - 6.
Notes:
I prefer butter to margarine for this recipe because I feel the taste is preferable.
Facts:
A medium apple has about 80 calories. 25% of an apple's volume is air - that is why they float. Apples cleanse and purify the blood and the liver. They are a good source of vitamin C and fibre. Remember your Gran's old saying "An apple a day keeps the doctor away". Well it's pretty good advice. Remember to eat the skin if you want to maximize the fibre. Eating an apple decreases the chances of tooth cavities by cleaning the teeth and massaging the gums.
