Baked Apples

Yes, an actual baked dessert back on the blog! Freshly made by Butchie and I....well sort of. It was made the night before in her fully functional kitchen and reheated in my toaster oven back at my foxhole. Two weeks from today appliances will be delivered. Two. 2. To. Too. Two. I don't care which grammar obscenity we use. TWO WEEKS!

Lately I've had baked apples on the brain. I blame an old friend who called me up for the sole purpose of telling me about the baked apples he made. Jerk. I was hungry all afternoon after that conversation! I have to say, I'm of a mixed mind about baked apples. On the one hand, I prefer having all the extra pie crust, and the apples themselves are lovely, but If I did this again, I think I'd change a few things. I'd cut the apples into rings on the inside and put lots of cinnamon and spices in between.  I'd also take any excess juices, boil them down into a glaze to spoon over ice cream on the side.

I hope you enjoy these little treats! I'll be back in two weeks with a bright and shiny new kitchen! 

Cheers!

Baked Apples
Adapted from Tartine

1 cup unsalted butter, very cold
1/2 cup water
3/4 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
Granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon cream
Granulated sugar, for sprinkling
8 Apples
1 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground Vietnamese cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 cup unsalted butter

To make the dough, cut the butter into 1-inch cubes and put them in the freezer. Measure the water, dissolve the salt into it and put into the freezer as well. Chill both for about 10 minutes.

Measure the flour onto a large, flat work surface and spread into a rectangle about 1cm thick. Scatter the butter cubes over the flour and toss a little flour over the butter so that your rolling pin won’t stick, and begin rolling. When the butter starts flattening out into long, thin pieces, use a bench scraper to scoop up the sides of the rectangle so that it is the size that you started with. Repeat the rolling and scraping 3 or 4 times.

Make a well in the center and pour all of the water into it. Using the bench scraper, scoop the sides of the dough into the center, cutting the water through the dough. Keep scraping and cutting until the dough is a shaggy mass and shape into a rectangle.

Lightly dust the top with flour and roll out the rectangle until it is half as large again, then scrape the top, bottom and sides together to the original size and re-roll. Repeat 3 or 4 times until you have a smooth and cohesive dough. Transfer rectangle of dough to a large baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and chill for about an hour.

When you are ready to roll the dough, divide it into 8 equal portions. Roll the dough into circle shapes. Transfer to baking sheets and chill for 10 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Core and peel the apples.

Mix together the cinnamon, brown sugar, flour, and nutmeg. Stuff the core of the sugar spice mixture and butter in layers. Alternate as you go.

Wrap the apple with the dough, trim excess dough.

You can make decorations for the top with the extra dough and cookie cutters.

Put them in the oven for about 45 minutes to one hour.