THE apple pie. THE ultimate apple pie, differing from the typical but still delicious amandine apple pie, or the puff pastry based apple pie, the cream apple pie, tarte tatin classic etc.. This one would have to be on the top of the list – for now.
I combined this recipe (in french) a pistachio praline and almond cream pie to the Pierre Hermé sweet dough.
This is a different but also slightly heavier version – crunchy boscop apples, the tastes and textures of the creams, while melting, divide to then develop alongside and meet the round crunchy almond dough.
It is definitely worth a try, it’s not difficult to make and you can freeze the creams as well as the dough.
Sweet dough à la Pierre Hermé
Ingredients (for 4 24cm pies)
500g flour type 45
300g soft butter
190g icing sugar
60g almond powder
2 eggs
4 pinches Fleur de Sel
1/2 tbsp vanilla powder or half a vanilla pod
1. Cut the butter in cubes and mix it until soft.
2. In order, add : the icing sugar, almond powder, salt, vanilla, the eggs then the flour.
3. Mix it until it shapes a ball. Stop right away. If you over work the dough it will lose its crunchiness.
4. Share the dough into 4 pieces. Roll the dough in cling film and keep it in the fridge for 4 hours.
Notes: You can easily freeze the rest and take it out a few hours before baking.
The resting time is essential to the consistency of the dough so that it stays “flexible” and doesn’t break nor shrink while baking.
Pistachio paste
125g pistachio (skinless and unsalted)
175 ml water
60g sugar
30g almond powder
2 drops almond essence (optional)
1. Spread the pistachios on a baking sheet. Let roast for 10 minutes or until slightly colored. Set aside in a bowl.
2. Make the syrup: add the water and the sugar in a pan and bring to a boil on medium heat. Cook for 5 min. Pour the syrup on to the pistachios and let the mixture cool.
3. Pour the mixture in a mixer. Add the almond powder to it and mix again.
Almond cream
100g almond powder
100g sugar
100g unsalted butter
3 egg yolks
5 cl dark rum (optional)
1. In a bowl work the sugar and the butter.
2. Add the egg yolks, mix until you get an homogenous paste.
3. Add the almond powder and the rum, mix again.
4. Put aside in the fridge.
Make the Tart
5/6 large apples (I used boscop apples for their cooking resistance)
1. Spread the dough onto the pie tin with the pastry roll or using your hands.
2. Stir together the almond paste and 3-4 tsp pistachio paste. Spread onto the dough. Put the thinly sliced apples on the top, sprinkle roasted pistachios and bake for 35 min on 160 C° or until the apples golden.
3. Let the pie cool down before taking it out of the tin.
You can heat up some apricot jam in a pan and brush it onto the pie to look shiny. I used some sugar cane syrup, not as sweet and color less.
No responses yet