Upon visiting my local supermarket last week, I was devastated to find that strawberries are now $5 per punnet and blueberries a whopping $7. That means just one thing: they ain’t in season anymore Charlie. So just as ACP staffers have swapped faux-tanned legs for a new pair of black opaques, it’s time to move into the autumnal season with aplomb.
The silver lining, of course, is that a whole fruit bowl of new arrivals is here… and for reasonable prices at that. One of my favourites is the humble apple. Why? One: it’s healthy and chock full of nutrients and fibre (ahem, great for when you’ve enjoyed a little too many easter eggs). Two: there are more varieties than you can find in a box of
Cadbury Roses. And three: you can do a heap of sweet and savoury dishes with them.
If I’m honest, I probably favour apple dessert dishes over any other fruit. So, in celebration of this fact and the fact these babies are now lining supermarket shelves, here is my new favourite dessert recipe which comes courtesy of the people from
Jazz Apples. If you haven’t tried a Jazz before you are really missing out – they are the crunchy, crispy variety complete with a dense flesh and tangy, sweet flavour. More importantly, they are true-blue Aussie-grown having originally been brought to the country by
The Montague Group (who are in no way related to myself… but I kind of wish they were… clever people).
I look forward to hearing how you go with this one.
Happy cooking!
JAZZ APPLE CREPE CAKE WITH MERINGUE Serves 10
Ingredients: 9 Jazz apples (1½ kg), peeled and chopped
3 eggs
250ml (1 cup) milk
160ml (⅔ cup) soda water
185g (1¼ cups) plain flour
½ tsp fine salt
1 tsp natural vanilla extract
430g (1½ cups) caster sugar
cooking oil spray, for frying
120g unsalted butter
250ml (1 cup) water
4 egg whites
½ tsp cream of tartar
Method 1. Combine the eggs, milk, soda water, flour, salt, vanilla and 30g (2 tablespoons) caster sugar in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Cover with cling film, then set aside for 1 hour. Strain through a fine sieve.
2. Set a large non-stick frying pan over a moderate heat and sprinkle with cooking oil spray. Add a small ladle of the batter at a time, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan evenly, then cook gently for 2 minutes each side, then set aside to cool. The batter will make 12 crepes.
3. Put the Jazz apples, butter and 110g (½ cup) sugar in a large saucepan and cook over a moderate heat for 10 minutes. Add 125ml (½ cup) water, then simmer for 30 minutes, until well-softened, then mash roughly with a fork.
4. Pour the egg whites and cream of tartar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Cook the remaining sugar and water in a saucepan over a high heat, brushing down the sides regularly with a damp brush, until the syrup reaches 119C. At this point a drop of the syrup will form a hard ball if placed in a glass of cold water.
5. When the syrup is nearly ready begin beating the egg whites – they will need to be at soft peaks with the syrup is hot. With the motor running, add the syrup in a steady stream and beat until cold.
6. Place a crepe on a large plate then top with some of the apple mixture. Repeat until all the crepes and apple mixture are used up, finishing with a crepe. Pipe the meringue on top, then scorch lightly under a hot grill or with a kitchen blowtorch.
Jessica Montague is madison’s features writer and sub-editor. She compiles the Food & Drinks News page each month. You can follow her on Twitter here