Applelicious

Applelicious

APPLE SNOW Apple snow is as fun to make as it is tasty to eat. It’s whipped up meringue with apple purée mixed through it and requires an accompaniment of custard, whipped cream or a few crunchy apple crisps- a perfect topping for the Christmas trifle.

INGREDIENTS 3 large cooking apples: peeled, cored and quartered 3 large egg whites 60g icing sugar (serve to taste)

METHOD Put the apple quarters in a saucepan with just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over a medium to high heat.

Turn the heat down and allow the apples to simmer until completely soft around five to ten minutes.

Drain the mixture and purée the apples with a masher or blender and set aside to cool.

Next take a spotlessly clean bowl and starting whisking the egg whites until foamy and fluffy, then little by little, begin adding the sugar, beating until the whites are firm and shiny. With the mixer (or your hand!) on high, gradually start adding the apple purée, a few spoonfuls at a time.

The mixture will magically transform from foamy to thick ‘snow’ and will appear to be growing out of the bowl.

Once all the purée has been added, taste the mixture and add more sugar if necessary.

Serve alongside cream, custard or a few apple crisps.

TOFFEE APPLES These are a fantastic treat for Halloween or bonfire night. Though the toffee is best made by adults-it gets really hot-the kids can have fun finding the sticks and perhaps impaling the apples! This recipe makes enough for at least 20 large apples. If you are not using organic apples, which are unwaxed make sure to wash them first as the wax prevents the toffee from coating properly.

INGREDIENTS 20 apples 20 strong but slim twigs or sticks 1kg Demorara sugar 300ml water 1 tablespoon vinegar 175 unsalted butter 2 tablespoons of honey you will also need: 1 baking sheet, lined with oiled foil

METHOD Remove the stalks from your apple and impale them, where the stalks have been, with the sticks.

Put the sugar and water into a large, heavy-based pan and heat.

When the sugar has dissolved, add the vinegar, butter and honey. Boil the mixture rapidly for around 45 minutes, though start testing after 30 minutes. To test, fill a large bowl with iced water and drop a small amount of toffee into the bowl: if the toffee is ready it should harden on contact.

Keep the water close as you will need it for the apples later. For those using a sugar thermometer the temperature should be around 170째C. Once ready, take the toffee off the heat, allowing it to cool very slightly.

This is where you need to work quickly. Dip each apple into the toffee, rotating on its stick. Then hold it over the pot of toffee and twirl it around 10 times so that the toffee covers the apple. Now plunge the apple into the iced water, and twirl, under the mixture another ten times. Place on the lined baking sheet and continue with the rest of the apples until they are all covered. Allow the toffee to harden and your delicious toffee apples are ready!

FIFE TOFFEE APPLES This tasty recipe is adapted from an American food blog I discovered and rather than a large dose of refined sugar instead it simply requires honey- keeping the ingredients 100% local. The result is still a lovely toffee crunch, but with a more fudgey flavour and is perfect for those cutting down on refined sugar but that don’t want to cut down on Autumnal treats. To give the toffee its reddish colour I added some natural food colouring to the mixture, this was purely optional and just for the kid’s eyes really.

INGREDIENTS 6 apples 1 cup of honey ¾ cup of double cream 2 tablespoons of butter ¼ teaspoon of salt Natural red food colouring You will also need: 6 sticks A lined baking tray

METHOD: Firstly remove the stalk from your apples and replace with your stick and set aside.

Next, using a large, heavy-based pan, add the honey, cream, butter and salt and start whisking over a medium-high heat, until it begins to bubble. Then immediately reduce the heat to medium and stir in the food colouring- if using- a drop or two depending on the intensity of red colour that you (or the kids) desire.

Keep whisking the caramel frequently to prevent it from burning or bubbling over the pan. Continue to cook for a round 25 minutes, by which time the temperature for those with a sugar thermometer should be around 170°C. The caramel should be a rich brown or red brown- if using dye- with small bubbles uniformly covering the surface of the pan and the caramel should be thickened. You can also drop a piece into a bowl with ice cold water and if it instantly hardens on contact it is ready.

Next get a large bowl of iced water ready and take your hot pan off the heat and allow it to cool slightly.

Take your apples and working quickly, roll them individually in the caramel until they are uniformly covered, a good ten or so twirls should do the trick, then place them in the ice cold water for a couple of swirls, and then place them on the lined baking tray to cool.

APPLE CINNAMON CRISPS These apple crisps are a hit with all ages and are perfect for brightening up your lunchbox and nibbling throughout the day or a perfect party nibble. They are simple and easy to prepare- you don’t even need to core the apple. Feel free to play about with the amount of sugar you use and various spices, a sprinkling of nutmeg is particularly delicious.

INGREDIENTS 4 apples destalked (keep the skin and core intact) 2 tablespoons of sugar 1-2 teaspoons of cinnamon

METHOD Slice your apples as thinly as possible with either a mandolin or a knife. Remove any seeds and place on a lined baking tray, try not to overlap them, that way they will all receive a spicy coating.

In a bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon and then sprinkle the mixture over the apple slices.

Place in the oven for around 20 -25 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack and allow to cool and crispen up. These will store happily for a couple of days in an airtight container.