Apple Bakewell

The apple tree that keeps on giving...

It's been a bumper harvest year in the garden for runner beans, gherkins and yes, you've guessed it - apples... This small helper of mine loves to help, typically taking a bite out of each apple before they make it to the bowl!! That obviously means we have to make a lot of hasty apple creations - typically Apple Butter (I was introduced to this by American friends of mine - there are so many recipes online, but basically I put a load of chopped, peeled, and cored apples in the slow cooker along with a vanilla pod, four or five cloves, a grating of nutmeg, brown sugar and just let it do its thing on a low heat for 12 hours or so = autumn spiced, super-concentrated compote!), Apple & Ginger Strudel (the recipe for which you have already!) and now this... Apple Frangipane Tart - or as my lot like to call it - Apple Bakewell...

Before I reel off the ingredients, tend to buy shortcrust pastry as it's no longer a necessity to make it (you couldn't buy it where we lived abroad). If you prefer to make your own, I like Jamie Oliver's sweet shortcrust pastry recipe, you can find it here...

Ingredients:

• 1 roll shortcrust pastry (unsweetened works well too by the way!)

• 3tbsp Jam (raspberry or blackberry work especially well!)

• 125g) granulated sugar;

• 125g) unsalted butter at room temperature;

• 2 large eggs,

• 125g) ground almonds,

• 1tbsp plain Flour;

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 4 eating apples or two large cooking apples

• A large handful of flaked almonds.

In a baking dish, bake the pastry blind as per instructions, leave to cool; Make sure the oven is left on at 180C (fan)...

Beat the sugar and butter until creamed together, beat in the eggs, the ground almonds, the flour and vanilla extract.

Peel, core and slice the apples, and put to one side.

In the cooled pastry case, spread the jam on the pastry before arranging the apple slices on top (it's going to be covered in frangipane so you don't need to worry about arranging them beautifully!)...

Pour the frangipane mixture over the apples and top with the handful of flaked almonds, and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden.

Eat with plenty of cream or icecream one slice at a time (if you have enough willpower!).....