Spice-Roasted Apples
Posted: May 9, 2010 at 8:38 pm
Serves 4
Ingredients
Apples and pears
- 4 firm apples (eg Braeburn)
- 4 firm pears (eg Conference)
- 75g caster sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tsp cloves
- 3 star anise
- 1 tsp black peppercorns, lightly crushed
- 25g slightly salted butter
- Splash of Calvados
- 100ml apple juice
- Madeleines and vanilla ice cream, to serve
Madeleines – makes about 20
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp demerara sugar
- 30g caster sugar
- 40g runny honey
- Seeds from 1 vanilla pod
- 100g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Chinese-5-spice
- 120g butter, melted and at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
- Icing sugar, to dust
Method: How to make spice-roasted apples and pears
1. Core the apples and pears using an apple corer, then peel off the skins. Cut the apples into quarters and halve the pears.
2. Scatter the sugar over the base of a wide, heavy, non-stick frying pan and place over a high heat until it melts and begins to caramelise around the edge of the pan. Add the spices, followed by the butter. Tip the pan from side to side to mix the caramel and butter together. Take care as the caramel may spit and splatter.
3. Add the apples and pears, cut side down. Fry for about 5–7 minutes until evenly caramelised, turning them several times. Add a splash of Calvados and stand back as the alcohol may flambé.
4. Pour in the apple juice and let bubble until the liquid has reduced and thickened to a syrupy sauce. Take off the heat and leave to cool slightly.
5. Divide the fruit among warm plates and spoon over the caramel sauce. Serve with Madeleines and vanilla ice cream.
6. For the Madeleines, use an electric beater to whisk the eggs, sugars, honey and vanilla seeds together in a bowl until the mixture is pale and thick enough to leave a ribbon trail.
7. Sift the flour, baking powder and spices into another bowl. Gradually fold into the whisked eggs until evenly incorporated. Slowly slip the cooled butter down the side of the bowl and fold in very gently and carefully. Cover and set aside.
8. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 190˚C/gas 5. Lightly grease a 12-hole Madeleine or bun tray with a little butter. Dust with flour and shake out the excess. Spoon the Madeleine mixture into the prepared tins, making sure the moulds are only two-thirds full.
9. Bake for 7-8 minutes until the tops are just firm and springy to the touch, Leave in the tins for 2 minutes before tipping them out onto a wire rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Dust lightly with icing sugar to serve. Madeleines are best served freshly baked.