Apple Slices

While baking is certainly my preferred thing to do in the kitchen, pastry-like crust often trip me up.  I am not sure if my memory is fuzzy but it seems as though I was actually stronger at making pastry crust when I was a pre-teen than in recent years.  This may be related to the  long break from cooking in my mid-twenties, back when cooking a dessert for two just seemed like a lot of calories to be shared.  So I have been on a mission to improve my pastry skills and what better recipe to test them on than Apple Slices.

Apple Slices is one of my family's recipes that while it looks simple has been known for being a test of patience.  That test comes from the flaky pastry layers that need to be rolled out quite large giving one ample opportunity to rip, develop a hole, or leave it too short.  But my recently learned tricks really helped make this much easier.  The first is to make the dough and then put it in the refridgerator while you slice the apples; I am not sure where I first read this but the cold dough is much easier to handle than one that is warm or room temperature.  The second was that after I had the dough rolled out I took a piece of waxed paper and layed on top before folding the dough to pick it up, it was so much easier to handle and the waxed paper kept it from working against itself by sticking etc.  The third thing I did was more related to the filling; I took the time to make sure I was slicing the apples thin and consistent so that they wouldn't poke through the top and so they would cook consistently.  It was pastry dough success in our little kitchen!

Apple Slices are a lovely fall treat.  While everyone seems to be in love with pumpkin right now, I am not quite ready for that and am instead still craving apple everything.  While you don't need to refridgerate them after they cool, I tend to prefer them nice and cold right out of the fridge.

Apple Slices

Makes approximately 24

2 1/2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
1 egg, separated
Milk
2/3 cup crushed corn flakes
5 or 6 cups peeled, sliced apples (Gala or MacIntosh work well)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix flour, sugar, and salt.  Cut in the shortening.  Put egg yolk in a measuring cup and add milk to make 2/3 cup, whisk to blend.  Add the milk and yolk mixture to the dough and mix just enough until the dough shapes a ball.  Cover lightly and put into the refrigerator while you prep the apples.

Divide the dough into two balls.  Roll out one of the halves to fit a 15x11 pan.  Place into the greased pan.  Sprinkle with the crushed cornflakes and layer the apple slices evenly. Stir together the cinnamon and sugar and then sprinkle this over the apples.  Roll out the other half and place gently across the top.

Beat egg white until stiff.  Spread this evenly over the top.

Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour.

While warm, drizzle with glaze.

Glaze

Stir together powdered sugar, water, and vanilla to the desired consistency.

Enjoy!

~ Tara

Comments

[Chocolate Shavings]

I like the sounds of that apple dessert!

[Jessie]

Yum, those look and sound amazing! Thanks for sharing.