Using the Windfall Apples - Dessert of the Week  Add/Read Comments

They can't be described as perfect specimens - battered, pot-marked, scratched and pitted; the aptly named Bramley Cottage offered them via a cut down giant washing powder box, further down Wychmore House offered a smaller pile in a covetable wooden crate; windfall cooking apples appear plentiful this year.

Bulging pockets revealed my greed. Several of the larger, less damaged apples, destined for heaven knows what. Plans for their use occupied the mind on the long walk home.



Using up a pile of puff pastry these little tarts were born. The apples, peeled and de-cored, were sliced then fried in a little butter and a dusting of caster sugar for a few minutes until soft. As they sizzled the puff-pastry was cut into rounds and had a dollop of deli-brought, locally made, lemon curd placed on top. Three slices of apple apiece seemed aesthetically correct before baking for 20 minutes. They were also brushed, both before and after baking, with a heavily reduced glaze of Broadland Norfolk Mead. The combination of mead and sugar added just the right amount of sweetness to the tart apple, the lemon curd just a subtle background note and a little moisture.

For a wine match you really should try the Farina Val de Reyas 2005!