Chestnut Log

Make ahead no cooking festive dessert. I like to serve it with red seasonal berries. 

The "Bûche de Noël" (the Christmas log) is the traditional Christmas dessert in France. It's a sponge cake type filled with chocolate buttercream, rolled in a log shape, frosted and decorated. There are hundreds of recipes that you can choose from, and as many flavors and decorations for this dessert. Since Christmas is passed, I chose a less traditional "bûche". This one is a flourless chocolate and chestnut, no cooking, quick and easy to make. I like it because it is not too sweet nor too heavy.

Ingredients
1 pound canned chestnut purée
4 squares Baker’s style dark chocolate (around ¼ lb)
¾ cup 35% cream
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 cup + 2 tablespoons icing sugar (confectioners's sugar)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Melt together the chocolate, butter and cream over low heat.
2. Mix in the chestnut purée, 1 cup of sugar and vanilla. Blend to make it smooth.
3. Prepare a sheet of aluminum foil folded in two and pour the mixture in the center to form a cylinder.
4. Roll it using the foil to help you form a nice log.
5. Refrigerate overnight until the log is firm.
6. Remove the foil gently and turn on a serving plate.
7. Using a fork, sculpt lines lengthwise to imitate tree bark patterns. Cut a diagonal slice off one end of the cake and use it to decorate the cake.
8. Dust with confectioners' sugar on top to simulate snow.

Notes:

1. You may put more decorations preferably edible such as meringue or marzipan mushrooms, or fruits such as raspberries, strawberries, pomegranate, etc… 
2. If you want the cake to be ready for the same day, just put it in the freezer for 2 hours then transfer to the fridge. It has to be soft enough for serving.

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Apple Cake

Very light and soft. The only downside to this cake is it disappears too quickly! 

Ingredients
For the caramel:
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water

For the apples:
5 apples
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon unsalted butter

For the cake:
3 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup corn starch
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons rum
3 tablespoons orange juice

9 inch round pan

Directions
Making the caramel

1. Get ready : the caramel gets very hot and needs to be handled very quickly when it's done. So have the mold that you will be using next to you and oven mitts to handle it.
2. Heat 1/3 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons water in a saucepan over medium heat.
3. Stir with a wooden spoon. When the sugar begins to melt in the water it will form crystals. Swirl the pan to collect all the sugar that may be stuck to the sides. You want to make sure all the crystals melt at the same time.
4. As soon as the crystals melt, it will turn from white to amber. From now on watch it carefully, as it will turn darker very quickly. You want it to be slightly golden.
5. Immediately remove from the heat and pour it very carefully into the mold. Handle the mold with the mitts as it gets very hot.  Swirl the mold to coat the bottom and the sides evenly.

Cooking the apples
Peel, core and slice the apples around 1/3 inch thick. Place in a saucepan with the brown sugar and butter. Mix gently and cook over medium heat, stirring from time to time, until the apples start to caramelize.

Making the cake

1. Heat your oven at 375 degrees F
2. Separate the egg whites and yolks
3. In a large bowl beat the egg yolks and sugar with an electric mixer. You should obtain a pale yellow color
4. Gradually add the oil, then the rum and juice, while still beating
5. Whisk the flour and baking powder together and add to the sugar and egg mixture, mixing until well blended
6. Arrange some of the cooked apple slices decoratively on top of the caramel in the mold
7. Fold in the remaining cooked apples into the batter
8. Beat the egg whites until firm and fold in delicately
9. Pour batter onto the apples slices in the mold
10. Bake at 375 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 30-35 minutes
11. Let the cake cool in pan for about 10 minutes. Run a thin spatula or knife around the edge of the cake to loosen the sides from pan and shake to unmold. Invert the cake over on a plate and let it cool completely.

Variations for simpler versions: skip the caramel making and

1. Add your favorite chocolate frosting, or
2. Just dust the cake with icing sugar once it's cooled down.

Pear Charlotte with Chocolate Sauce

Make-ahead, very refreshing, no cooking. This is a simple and quicker version of the famous pear Charlotte.

Ingredients
For the Charlotte
1 can of pears in syrup (796ml/28 oz)
1-½ cup 35% cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 gelatin sheets
2 pkgs Lady fingers (around 40)
½ cup rum

For the chocolate sauce
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate (4 squares of Bakers)
1 oz butter (small piece)
1 cup of milk
1/4 cup cream 35%

A mold 6.5 inches diameter, 4 inches deep (if you don’t have any use a deep pan around the same size or pyrex dish).

Ingredients

Prepare the filling:

1. Soak gelatin sheets in 5 cups of cold water for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Put aside 2 pear halves for the decoration. Dice half of the remaining halves and put on paper towel to absorb any excess juice. Reserve the syrup.
3. Blend the remaining pears. Remove gelatin sheets from the water, press to remove excess water and add to the blended pears. 
4. Heat while stirring gently until gelatin melts completely.
5. Put the mixture in the refrigerator.
6. Whip the cream. Add the vanilla and continue whipping a little more. 
7. Remove the pear mixture from the fridge and mix in the diced pears. Fold in the whipped cream.

Make the Charlotte:

1. Combine the rum and reserved syrup in a wide bowl.
2. Dip one side of the ladyfingers briefly in the syrup mixture and line the sides and bottom of the mold, sugar side out. Cut them as needed to fit, making sure not to leave any gap.
3. Pour the pear mixture inside, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, until set.

Finishing the cake:

1. Unmold the Charlotte.
2. Slice the reserved pears and decorate the top.
3. Keep in refrigerator until serving.

Serving:
Serve the Charlotte with a chocolate sauce made by melting together the chocolate, butter, milk, and cream.

Note: You may use fresh pears
Cook 7 pears peeled, halved and cored with ¾ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Cover with water, bring to a boil and simmer gently around 20 minutes. Turn after 10 minutes.

Spinach and Feta Spinrolls Appetizers

Simple and tasty make-ahead appetizers for your parties. I will post more recipes separately.

Ingredients 
½ lb frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 pack of frozen spinach
¼ pound feta cheese crumbled
1 egg yolk beaten with 3 tbsp of milk
¼ tsp nutmeg
Salt, pepper to taste

Directions

1. Thaw frozen spinach in microwave or by dipping them in hot water. 
2. Drain and squeeze the excess liquid. Chop the spinach. 
• Note: You can also cook a bunch of fresh spinach and use ice to cool them quickly!
3. Add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, and crumbled feta cheese.
4. Flour a working surface generously (table or counter top). 
5. Drop the dough on your surface, and flour the top of the dough as well so it won't stick to the rolling pin.
6. Roll out the puff pastry into a 12"x20" rectangle around 1/8 inch thick. Add flour as needed if the dough sticks to the pin. 
7. Spread the spinach mix over the pastry, making sure to leave an inch with no mixture on one side of the dough (to stick the end of the roll). 
8. Roll up the rectangle (like a jelly roll!) and seal with water. 
9. Wrap each roll in plastic wrap or parchment paper and freeze for one hour. 

Cook the Rolls

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
2. Cut each roll into 3/8"-1/2" slices, place cut side up, on the baking sheet
3. Brush with the beaten egg yolk and milk 
4. Bake at 375°F for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.

Gateau de Savoie (French Sponge Cake)

This is very simple and quick cake to make and that fresh lemon taste, definitely my favorite flavor!

The story of the Gateau de Savoie (from L'Histoire du Gâteau de Savoie .) This cake was invented in 1358 in Savoy a region in South-East of France, hence its name. The Count of Savoy was receiving at his table his emperor Charles IV of Luxembourg (Savoy was not French at that time). The Count asked his pastry chef, Pierre, to make a cake as light as a feather, likely to appeal to the emperor. Pierre had the idea of ​​beating egg yolks and sugar long enough until they became very pale yellow, and lightening the preparation further by adding the egg whites and flour. Since there was no thermostat yet, he baked the cake in wooden plate to allow for softer cooking, giving the dough time to develop his proverbial lightness.
Note that this cake doesn't contain any fat apart from half a teaspoon to butter the pan.

Ingredients
6 eggs
1-1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup corn starch
3 tablespoons luke warm water
Zest of one lemon (preferably organic)
9 inch savarin mold (or a regular pan)
Butter for the pan
2 tablespoons icing sugar for decoration

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F 
2. Separate the egg whites and yolks 
3. In a large bowl beat the egg yolks and sugar with an electric mixer to obtain a pale yellow colour. 
4. Add the water and lemon zest and mix few more seconds. 
5. Gradually add the flour and starch while still beating. 
6. Whisk the egg whites until very firm and fold in delicately in the flour mixture, a small quantity at a time. 
7. Butter the mold and pour in the batter. 
8. Bake at 375 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 5 minutes, then turn down the oven to 350F and continue cooking for another 40 minutes. 
9. Poke the middle of the cake with a skewer or a toothpick to check if it’s done. If it comes out clean, the cake is ready. 
10. Run a thin spatula or knife around the edge of cake to loosen the cake sides from pan and shake to unmold. Invert the cake onto a cooling rack. 
11. When it’s cooled, transfer to a plate then dust the surface with sifted icing sugar.

Cinnamon Brioche

Very easy to make especially if you are using a “food processor”.

Ingredients
4 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons dry yeast
¾ cup warm milk
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
2 eggs
Pinch of salt

Decoration
1 teaspoon cinnamon (or more if you are crazy about it)
½ cup brown sugar
Heavy cream (optional)

Directions

1. Warm half of the milk in a small bowl with ½ teaspoon of sugar. Add the yeast, mix well and let it sit around 15 minutes or until it becomes foamy.
2. In the meantime warm the remaing milk with the sugar and butter just enough to melt the butter. Do not let it boil.
3. Add the eggs and salt to the butter and mix.
4. Put the flour in the food processor and mix for few seconds.
5. With the machine still running, pour the liquid mixture and the yeast into the flour. Keep the food processor running for 2-3 minutes.
6. Remove the dough from the food processor and put it into a slightly oiled bowl. Cover and let it rise in a warm place for 30-45 minutes.
7. Knock down the dough and divide it into two equal pieces.
8. Form it into buttered tart molds, preferably. Make holes with the tip of your fingers
9. Let it rise a second time until it doubles in size.
10. Optional step: fill in the holes with cream
11. Sprinkle with a mix of brown sugar and cinnamon.
12. Bake in a 375 deg F for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy with a nice cappucino!

Brioches Nadou

These brioches are one of many specialties of my sister Nadou. You can shape them as in the picture or simply make small buns. I like to serve them for breakfast with jam or Nutella.

Ingredients
5 cups of flour
1 cup of sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 tablespoon dry yeast
1/3 cup warm mils
1 orange (juice and zest)
1 tablespoon vanilla

Decoration
1 egg yolk
Sesame seeds

Directions

1. Warm milk in a small bowl with 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. Add the yeast, mix and let sit around 15 minutes or until it becomes foamy.
2. In the meantime put the flour and sugar in the food processor and mix for few seconds.
3. Mix the beaten eggs the eggs with the dissolved yeast. Add the vanilla, orange juice and zest.
4. Pour the liquid mixture into the flour, with the food processor running. Mix until you get a nice, smooth dough. The sides of the bowl should be clean.
5. With the machine still running, pour the oil slowly and continue mixing until it is incorporated. The whole process should take no more than 1 minute.
6. Remove the dough from the food processor and put it into a slightly oiled bowl. Cover and let it rise in a warm place for 30-45 minutes.
7. Divide the dough into two equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope of same thickness. Cut each rope into 6 equal pieces.
8. With the cup of your hands, roll each piece into a smooth 1/2 inch long rope, then tie each rope into a knot tucking both ends together under the roll.
9. Place each roll on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Cover with a clean towel and let it rise until the rolls have nearly doubled in size.
10. Heat the oven to 400 deg F.
11. Mix the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of milk to make an eggwash. Brush the rolls with this mixture and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
12. Bake the rolls for 15 minutes, or until they have a nice golden color on the top.

Spinach Boureks using pizza dough

I already posted a bourek (meat filled) recipe with filo pastry and meat filling.
Here I am using pizza dough and spinach. You can buy ready-made frozen pizza or roll dough from a supermarket or make it yourself. I am providing my recipe if you choose to make it yourself.
They make excellent lunches.

For 12 boureks
Ingredients
2 bunches spinach (stems removed) washed and chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 french shallots or 1 small onion chopped
4 garlic cloves crushed
4 eggs + 1 yolk
Salt, pepper
Pinch nutmeg
1.5 cup grated cheese such as emmenthal, or feta

Directions
Sauté the onion with the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat until translucent, around 10 minutes.
Add the garlic crushed, salt and spices and saute for another minute. Be careful not to let the garlic burn.
Add the butter and the spinach. Season and continue cooking until the liquid from the spinach is absorbed.
Remove from the heat and add the cheese. Mix well. Put aside and let cool Beat the 4 eggs and cook in omelette until just set.

Separate the dough in 6. Using a rolling pin, roll out each piece in a rectangle around 5 inches wide and 1/8 inch thick. Cut 8 inches long rectangles (approximately.)
Place your filling near the bottom edge of each rectangle leaving space for sealing, add a piece of omelette on top.
Fold the sides of the sheet over the filling to give it a moon shape. Moisten the edge to seal it.
Put aside, covered with a towel.
Repeat with remaining dough until you have used all the filling or all the dough.
Mix the egg yolk with one tablespoon of milk and brush the boureks with this mixture to give them a nice golden colour.
Cook in the oven 20-25 mn at 400F

Homemade Dough
For 12 boureks
4 cups flour
2 tablespoons margarine (or 1 margarine and 1 olive oil)
2/3 cup milk
2/3 cup water
1.5 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon yeast

Warm the milk in a small bowl with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Add the yeast, mix and let sit 10-15 minutes or until it becomes foamy.
Put the flour and salt in the food processor and mix for few seconds.
Add the flour, salt and margarine (or margarine and oil), mix to incorporat.e
With the machine still running, pour the yeast into the flour, then the water. Keep the food processor running for 2-3 minutes.
Remove the dough from the food processor and put it into a slightly oiled bowl. Cover and let it rest in a warm place for 15-20 minutes.

Note : I use a food processor to make the dough, but you can make it by hand, it doesn't require a lot of kneading.

Zucchini Patties

These patties make a very good appetizer. If you have friends or family coming over for dinner and you aren’t afraid to cook at the last minute, this is the right appetizer to make.  My neighbour knocked at the door once just as I was making some. I remember her face when I opened the door. "What are you making?" she asked, "it smells sooo good!". Start frying the patties just before your guests arrive, the delightfull aroma will welcome them. They will be eager to try them, and trust me they won’t be disappointed!

Ingredients
6 medium zucchinis (or 8 small)
4 eggs
2 cups shredded cheese (emmenthal, gruyere or jarlsberg)
Salt, pepper
1 cup all purpose flour
Oil for frying

Directions

1. Coarsely grate the zucchinis, add salt and toss in a big bowl.
2. Let them render all the water for a couple of hours if possible, then transfer to a colander sitting on a big bowl. If you are in a hurry skip this to step. You will have more sqeezing to do.
3. Drain as much as you can. Take small quantities of zucchinis between your hands and squeeze to release the excess liquid. You can also squeeze the zucchinis using a cheese cloth small quantities at a time. Transfer to a dry bowl.
4. Add the eggs, cheese and pepper and salt if needed. Mix well to combine all the ingredients.
5. Heat the 6 tablespoons corn oil over medium heat (sometimes I use an electrical fryer, it works very well).
6. Put the flour in a plate. Take a tablespoon of the zucchini mixture and form a ball using a second spoon. Roll rapidly in the flour, pating it to make a flat and round patty and to eliminate the excess of flour.
7. Carefully drop the patty into the frying pan. Cook 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown and crisp.

Drain on paper towel. Serve hot with fresh lemon wedges on the side.

Veal Sauté with Olives

Last week I posted Sher's recipe for homemade pasta and I promised I will share the "Saute de veau aux olives", so here is the recipe! I made the sauté in a pressure cooker.
I have always been sold to the pressure cooker. It is the fastest way to cook your meals. Not only, it is a fantastic time saving tool, it also produces marvellous results.
Because the pressure cooker "does not permit air or liquids to escape below a pre-set pressure, it allows food to be cooked with greater humidity and higher temperatures than possible with conventional boiling or steaming method." (Wikipedia)
The meat comes out particularly moist and tender.

Serves 6

Ingredients
2 lbs cubed veal, preferrably from the shoulder
4 + 1 tablespoons oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
3 tablespoon flour
1 bay leaf
2 cups hot water
Salt and pepper
200 gr green pitted olives (or if you prefer black)
2 cup mushrooms, sliced

Directions

1. Heat oil in a pan and brown the meat a few pieces at a time on each side.
2. Add the onion, the garlic and the bat leaf and cook slowly for about 10 mns.
3. In the meantime:
     a.  Blanch the olives in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, drain and set a side.
     b.  Brown the flour in a small pan on medium heat stirring continually until golden brown.
4. Remove pan from heat, stir in the flour, cover with hot water.
5. Season and Stir until smooth.
6. Put back on the stove, bring to a boil. Add the olives, lock the pressure cooker lid in place and bring to pressure, then lower heat and cook for 25 minutes.
7. While the meat is cooking, sauté the mushrooms in the remaining spoon of oil.
8. When meat is done, allow the pressure to drop then remove the lid.
9. Add the mushrooms simmer for 3-5 minutes.

Serve with pasta.

Boureks (meat filled)

Boureks are traditional Algerian rolls, usually made with a very thin pastry dough called dyouls. They can be shaped in cigars or triangle, and use a variety of filling : meat, vegetables, tuna. All across eastern Mediterranean countries, where the Ottoman Empire left its signature, you will find slightly different versions.

Here I used filo pastry and meat filling. They come out crisp and delicious. Count 3-4 per person because they disappear very quickly!

For 18 boureks
Ingredients
1 lb (500 gr) ground beef
3 big onions sliced
4 eggs
1 small bunch parsley
2 Tbs oil + oil to deep fry
Salt, pepper, ¼ tsp cinnamon
Filo pastry
a little bit of water to glue the pasta
2 towels to cover the Filo pastry

Directions
Sauté the onion with the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat until translucent, around 10 minutes.
Add the meat, salt and spices and mix well. Cook for 15 minutes, all the juices should be absorbed.
Add the parsley, mix, and let it cool down completely.

In the meantime, beat the eggs with salt and pepper, cook in an omelette until just set.

Shaping the boureks:
Unroll 12 filo pastry sheets on a table or counter. Cut in 2, to use ½ sheet per bourek. Always cover with a towel while you work to avoid withering.
Lay out a sheet. Place 1 big tablespoon of the meat mixture near the bottom edge of the pastry, add a piece of omelette.
Fold the sides of the sheet over the filling and roll in a cigar shape. Moisten the top edge to seal it.
Put aside, covered with a towel.
Repeat with remaining filo until you have used all of the filling.

Frying the boureks:
Place the boureks carefully into medium hot oil and deep fry on both sides until golden brown. It should take no more than 2 minutes on each side.
Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon or tongs and drain on paper towel.

Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Homemade Noodles

My friend Sher came for supper last Tuesday. Sher loves cooking and eating. So eventhough it was a week day, we decided to make fresh pasta to go with a sauté de veau aux olives (veal sauté with olives). She took care of the pasta, I made the sauté and my  husband got the camera ready.
It took 2  hours total before we sat down and eat. Half hour to make the pasta, half hour to prepare the sauté and 1.5 hours to cook it.
What a treat! Nothing could beat fresh home made pasta. We used a kitchenAid to knead the dough, and although I have a pasta machine, Sher chose to roll it by hand with a wooden rolling pin. She could have allow it to rest, but she wanted to roll it right away and go look at the pictures my husband took in the last two weeks.
Trust me it was not an easy task! The dough has a tendency to "spring" back if you don't let it rest and requires 3 to 4 times more effort to roll. It's a good workout for the biceps, though...

Here is the recipe.

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

2 eggs

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon of salt

Directions

Making the dough

Beat the eggs slightly
Put the flour and salt in the food processor, add the eggs and knead for 2 minutes. Revert the dough to your work surface and bring the dough together with your hands. Cover and let rest for 1/2 hour. Put the flour and salt in the food processor, add the eggs and knead for 2-5 minutes, or until the dough forms a ball.
If the dough is too crumbly add a little water.
Revert the dough to your floured work surface and bring the dough together with your hands.
If you want, you can cover and let rest for 1/2 hour. The dough will be easier to roll.

Rolling the pasta

The goal here is to roll out the dough thin enough. Cut the dough into 8 pieces. Dust each piece with flour on both sides. Dust your work surface too.

Roll out each piece in a rectangle flipping the dough over and dusting every so often to make sure it doesn't stick. It’s all right if it’s not perfectly rectangular.

The rectangle size depends on how long you want your pasta to be! ...

Shaping the pasta

The easiest pasta to cut by hand is the tagliatelle. Put a lot of flour on your rolled out dough, and simply roll the dough towards the center of the rectangle from either side, so they meet in the middle.
Don't press down on your dough though, you don't want it to stick! You're supposed to end up with something like this.

All you have to do now, is cut your roll in thin pieces and then unroll them!

 

An easy trick is to insert a chopstick in the middle of the cut rolls and lift.

Your tagliatelles should unroll themselves almost on their own.
 

Dust the pasta with a little more flour and place it on clean kitchen towels until you are ready to cook it.

Cooking the pasta

Cooking freshly made pasta is simple and so fast! Have a colander ready for draining. Throw the pasta into a large saucepan of boiling, salted water, more water than you would use for dried pasta otherwise it will stick together. The general rule is to use about 4 times more water than pasta.

Stir as you add pasta in water. Cook around 2 minutes from the moment the water starts to boil again. It should float at the top.

Dress and serve right away.

Note: I will post the recipe for the sauté de veau aux olives (veal sauté with olives) next time.
 

Cream of Tomato

I had 4 tomatoes sitting in the fridge too ripe to be used in a salad and I didn't know what to make as a first course. I digged a little bit more in the fridge and there sitting underneath a big lettuce a small carrot. I had all the ingredient for a nice creamy soup, not too acidic. The result was light and heart warming for a grey and cold autumn day. Here it is for you to enjoy!


Serves 4
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Small onion finely chopped (2/3 cup)
2 Cloves of garlic crushed
1 Small carrot chopped
4 Tomatoes peeled and seeded, chopped
3 Cups of chicken broth (or water)
1 Bay leaf
1 Sprig thyme
Salt, pepper
1 Teaspoon sugar (optional)
2 Tablespoons flour
1/4 cup of 35% cream

Directions
Sauté the onion with the olive oil over medium heat, until translucent, around 10 minutes.
Add the garlic, cook another 2 minutes. Add the carrot, tomatoes, herbs, salt pepper and cook until the tomatoes start melting.
Add the chicken stock and sugar, stir well, bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes.
Whisk the flour with 1/2 cup of cold water. Stir it into the soup and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
Purée the soup until smooth, through a food mill or blender. Adjust the seasoning.
Serve with croutons.

Grated Apple Pie

During apple season we go to the orchard and we buy bags of apples. What a difference between freshly picked and supermarket bought apples! I make tarts, cakes, compotes and we keep a lot for lunches. This is the family favorite apple tart. I usually make 2 of them because they disappear so quickly!

Serves: 8

Ingredients
Dough :
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup butter (softened)
4 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon sour cream
Zest of 1 lemon

Toping :
8 apples
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar

11 inches (27 cm) pie pan with a removable bottom, if possible.

Directions

1. Mix the flour and baking powder in a bowl.
2. Make a well in the centre and add the eggs, sugar, butter and zest. Mix well. You should have a slightly sandy dough.
3. Roll out on a lightly floured surface and transfer to the pan pressing up the sides.
4. Pre-heat the oven to 375 F (190 C), with the rack in the middle position.
5. Peel, core and grate the apples, not too fine. Add some lemon juice to prevent oxidation. Mix in the sugars.
6. Fill the tart shell with the mixture, pressing lightly.
7. Pull down any excess dough onto the apples.
8. Spray 1-2 tablespoons of granulated sugar on top for more colour.
9. Bake for about 1 hour until the crust is golden brown.