This summer I was put to the test like Eve in the Garden of Eden. When we arrived at our vacation home in Burgundy, the first thing that caught my eye was the huge apple tree in the front garden. Its limbs were heavy with what appeared to be perfect fruit and I was tempted to help myself. 

I resisted, although if I'm honest, not because I'm so virtuous and possess an incredible amount of a self-restraint, but rather because it was only the end of July.  I knew that at least another month would pass before the apples would be ready for picking. In the meantime, I delighted myself by spending many an afternoon staring at the tree and daydreaming about the autumn harvest.  I imagined how fantastic it would be to be there when the only thing between me and an apple pie was a walk to the front door.

Goudreinettes.  Although most recipes ask you to chop the apples thinly, this one calls for thumb-sized chunks of fruit. When baked, their face-puckering astringency mellows out, but no so much that they lose their characteristic taste. Round out the contrast between the sourness of the apples and the sweetness of the buttery crust with a decent dollop of the best cream you can get your hands on.  Freshly whipped and most certainly not from a can!

Paola's Hollandse Appeltaart

Ingredients:

• 50g currants
• 50g raisins
• 2 tbsps dark rum
• 300g plain white flour
• 125g unrefined cane sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 200g cold butter, cut into small chunks
• 1 egg yolk, plus one lightly beaten egg
• 2 tbsps ice water
• 1 kilo (about three) Goudreinette apples, cored, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 tbsps custard powder
• 2 tbsps vanilla sugar
• 2 tsps cinnamon
• 2 tbsps apricot jam

 1 2 3 Next >