French Apple Pie

I've always wanted bake an apple pie. First time i saw it on some TV show and I was totally enamored by it!! If something can look this good then it must be tasting amazing!!
And then I received this fabulous book called "French Baker" from Skyhorse publishing and I got my perfect authentic French Pie recipe!! Now there was no reason for me to not to make it..
So last night I baked my first apple pie and I fell in love with it all over again!! And in the process I discovered almond cream!! And I fell in love with the Almond cream too!! I am now thinking of ways to use it in other desserts :) !! Yeah, it's that good!!
This book also has recipes of sourdough breads, cookies and desserts!! And it has the recipe of Croissant and puff pastry!!! And the recipe for making your own sourdough starter!! I am so glad I have got this book!! A lot of my to do recipes are covered in this :)
Check out my apple pie and its recipe adapted from the book - "French Baker". You can halve the quantity for the first try.

French Apple Pie

Ingredients:

For Pie Crust
Cold Butter - 7 Tablespoons Cold Butter
1 + 3/4 Cup Maida (all purpose flour)
a pinch of salt (if using salted butter skip this)
1/2 cup Sugar
1 small egg

For Almond Cream
3/4 cup Sugar
150 grams soft butter (it's really important to keep the butter soft)
1+1/2 cup Almond flour (i churned Almonds in mixy to get the almond flour)
3 Eggs
3 Tablespoon maida (all purpose flour)

For Apple Compete (Apple Sauce)
6 apples for apple sauce
1 lemon
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla powder (or 1 teaspoon vanilla essence/extract)
raw sugar to sprinkle the greased pan
4 apples for thin slices used to decorate the pie

French Apple Pie

Method:

Day 1 -Take it easy :
1) Mix all the ingredients listed under pie crust except egg. Mix well so that you'll get the mixture resembling bread crumbs.
2) Once you achieve this consistency add egg and knead into a dough.
3) Cover the dough using cling wrap (or put in an air tight container) and let it rest in the refrigerator for 12 hours. (though next time the impatient I plan to rest the dough for an hour only to see the results).

Day 2 - Action begins :)
1) Take out the dough from the refrigerator and rest it at room temperature for 15-20 minutes.
2) Knead it to get an elastic dough. Check if it is okay by making a ball and then pressing your finger in it to see if it is cracking. If it is cracking it still needs some kneading, otherwise it's good to go. Return the dough back to refrigerator for an hour.
3) Meanwhile make Almond cream. For that beat the butter with sugar till you get smooth consistency.
4) Now, add almond flour and mix till you get smooth consistency.
5) Then add eggs one by one and beat thoroughly.
6) Finally add the flour and mix properly.
7) Your almond cream is ready. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 hours (I kept it for 1 hour only)
8) Meanwhile take 6 apples. Wash, peel, core and cut into small pieces and throw in a pan (kadai).
9) Add 1 cup water and let the apples cook. Now add vanilla powder and mix well. Then add juice of half the lemon and zest of 1 lemon (i skipped zest though, still not comfortable using it). Mix well.
10) Let it cook till the water evaporates.
11) Now grease a pie tin. Sprinkle some raw sugar on it to make the crust crispy and yummy :).
12) take the dough out and roll it. Now spread it on the pie tin. Cut the extra dough from the edges.
13) Spread the almond cream on it. and bake in a pre heated for 25 minutes on the middle rack at 180 degree C.
14) Meanwhile take remaining 4 apples wash, peel and core them. Cut them into thin slices.
Once it gets baked, let it cool down a bit and then spread the apple compote on top. Arrange the thin slices of apple on the top.
15) Bake in a preheated oven for 50 minutes on the middle rack at 180 degree C.
16) Now Sprinkle some powdered sugar on top and grill for 6 minutes.

Voila!! Your French Apple Pie is ready!! Take it out. Let it cool and enjoy :)

French Apple Pie

Linking it to "Cooking with Red" event at merry tummy...

+techie ZM