Hoping everyone had a lovely Holiday season and an interesting start to the new year!
We were happy to have health in our household as a good way to start the year. After a month of Winter sickness, we all sighed in collective relief when we woke the 31st without sniffles or aches. So, our Holidays were a bit tame. Yet, this provided well for the opportunity of introspection and unasked for but much appreciated quietude. The quarantine gave us the pause to focus on our little family - spend time with each other. And, yes, it was fair isolating at times, but we managed to escape most of the hustle and stress of the Holidays unwittingly and just relax and take time.
We usually host the day of Christmas but since we didn’t we made a quiet meal of smoked steak and I made these vol au vents for a touch of sweet. They are super easy to make and take little effort as I caramelized apples in the oven and used store puff pastry. They tasted divine and since TF is finally able to have a little sweet, she thoroughly enjoyed the sweet intense apples and the flaky pastry. The house was covered in flecks of pastry trailing the floors behind her and a big caramelized smile on her face.
Caramelized Apple Vol-au-Vent
6 Macintosh apples, peeled, cored and halved
2 tsp light brown sugar
4 T butter
1 sheet of puff pastry
1 egg, for egg wash
Preheat the oven to 300F.
In a small baking dish, place the butter and melt in oven. Sprinkle the sugar even at the base. Arrange the apples tightly around dish.
Cover with foil and bake for 3 hours.
When cooled, dice and reserve.
Roll out the thawed pastry dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut 4 inch circles for the base and a overlapping top with a 3 inch center hole.
Brush the edges of the pastry with beaten egg wash and place the top pastry on it. With a fork gently punch the center to ensure it does not rise too much while baking. Brush the edges with egg wash.
Bake in a 400F oven for 20 minutes till golden and puffed.
Let cool completely and then pile in diced caramelized apples. Top with dollop of sweetened whipped cream and whatever nuts you have on hand and serve!
Pots de Crème au Beurre de Pomme
Apple Crumble