Apple Jalousie Food

APPLE JALOUSIE TART

Steps:

• Filling: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, toss together apples, sugar, vanilla seeds, cognac, lemon zest and juice, salt, and flour. Transfer to a 13-by-9-inch baking dish and dot with butter. Bake until apples are tender, about 40 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Pastry: Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. Roll out pastry to a 16 1/2-by-12 1/2-inch rectangle on a piece of parchment. Using the tip of a paring knife, lightly score pastry into thirds, being careful not to cut all the way through. Cut 3/4-inch-wide strips along the two outer thirds, reserving center third for the filling. Be careful not to cut into the scored lines. Transfer to a baking sheet (if pastry becomes too soft, freeze until firm).
• Arrange filling evenly in center third of pastry. Freeze 20 minutes. Combine egg with 1 teaspoon water; lightly brush strips with egg wash. Alternating from one side to the other, fold strips evenly over filling in an overlapping pattern.
• Transfer to a parchment-lined room-temperature baking sheet. Lightly brush top with egg wash and generously sprinkle with sugar. Bake 20 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake 20 minutes more. Switch oven to broiler setting; broil until sugar is caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes (watch carefully to prevent burning). Let cool to room temperature. Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

APPLE & BLUEBERRY DANISHES

Steps:

• First make the filling: melt the butter and 3 tbsp of the sugar in a medium saucepan. Stir in the apples and spices and cook for 5 mins, until the fruit is slightly softened but not cooked. Remove from the heat and stir in the blueberries.
• Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to £1 coin thickness. Cut out 8 x 11cm squares. Prick the squares all over with a fork and transfer to a baking tray.
• Divide the filling between the pastry squares, spooning it into the centre of each square. Bring the four corners into the centre of each square and pinch together edges using a little of the egg to help stick. Brush all over the danishes with the rest of the egg. They can be covered and chilled for a few hours now.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Dust with the remaining demerara and cook for 20 mins until the pastry is golden. Don't worry if they pop open while cooking - they look even prettier.

QUINCE, APPLE, AND ALMOND JALOUSIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• On a baking sheet in middle of oven toast almonds in one layer until golden, about 10 minutes. Peel, quarter, and core quinces. Cut each quarter lengthwise into 5 slices. In a 3-quart heavy saucepan bring water and sugar to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add quince and simmer, covered, 2 1/4 hours.
• When mixture has been simmering 2 hours, peel, quarter, and core apples. Cut each quarter lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick wedges. Stir apples into quince mixture and simmer, covered, until apples are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in almonds and extract. Cool filling. (Filling may be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered.)
• Assemble jalousie:
• In a large sieve set over a bowl drain quince filling, reserving syrup. Transfer quince to a bowl and stir in 3 tablespoons reserved syrup. Make an egg wash by lightly beating egg with 2 teaspoons water.
• Halve dough and on a lightly floured surface roll out each half into a 12- by 8-inch rectangle (about 1/4 inch thick). Transfer 1 pastry rectangle to a floured large baking sheet and put quince filling lengthwise along center, forming a 9- by 5-inch mound. Brush pastry around filling with some egg wash. Carefully drape remaining pastry rectangle lengthwise over quince and seal edges by gently pressing together. With a sharp large knife trim edges of pastry. Crimp edges and make a decorative pattern of about 8 slits in pastry, exposing filling. Chill jalousie, loosely covered, 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Brush jalousie evenly with some egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake jalousie in middle of oven until deep golden, about 30 minutes, and transfer on pan to a rack to cool.
• Serve jalousie warm or at room temperature with remaining reserved syrup and whipped cream.