The Brit Cafes Baking Blog

Apple Tart Recipe

2009-09-09T14:15:00.003-05:00

Our VERY FIRST recipe on this blog. What a GREAT day! We used this as a dessert for the resturant on tuesday. It turned out soo good, and is so delious. You can guantee that any recipe on this blog will work out great and taste amazing. I am the offical taste taster,(its a tough job, but somebodies got to do it, lol)

So here it goes.
We will start with The Pastry:

You will Need:

- 2 cups of all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 12 tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
- 1/2 cup very cold water

Place the flour, salt and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add the butter and pulse about 11 times, until the butter is in small bits the size of peas. With the motor running, pour the very cold water down the feed tube and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Now go make yourself a cup of tea, put your feet up and relax for that hour, you deserve it.
When you relaxation time is up, roll the dough slightly larger than 10 by 14 inches. Using a ruler and a small knife, trim the edges. Place the dough on the prepared sheet pan (14 inch round) and refrigerate while you prepare the apples.

For The Apples:

- 4 Granny smith apples

- 1/2 cup sugar

- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, small diced

- 1/2 cup apricot jelly or warm sieved apricot jam ( you can use any jelly or jam flavour that you think will taste good with apples)

- 2 tbsps of Calvados, rum or water (we used water this time)

Peel the apples and cut them in half through the stem. Remove the stems and cores with a sharp knife and a melon baller. Slice the apples crosswise in 1/4-inch thick slices.

Place the overlapping slices of apples diagonally down the middle of the tart and continue making diagonal rows on both sides of the first row until the pastry is covered with apple slices.

Sprinkle with the full 1/2 cup of sugar and dot with the butter

Bake in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the pastry is browned and the edges of the apples start to brown. Rotate the pan once during cooking. If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to let the air out. Don't worry, the apple jucies will burn alittle in the pan but the pasty will be fine. When the tarts done, heat the apricot jelly together with the Calvados and brush the apples and the pastry.

Your tart is now complete, loosen the tart with a metal spatula so it dosn't stick. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!!! :-)

Personalized Birthday Cake

2009-09-03T14:23:00.001-05:00

My mum (sally) was going through her photo folder from last year, and found a picture of this cake we had completely forgotten about (last year feels like a lifetime ago). It was made for a customer/friend of ours, John Crane for his birthday.

60th birthday cake

2009-08-26T15:07:00.000-05:00

My good friend Shelley came to us last month, wanting to surprise her parents with a 60th birthday party. It was our job, well acually my mums (Sally) job. She is the talented baker (Whom i hope one day to be just as good as) to come up with a cake design. This cake consisted of a chocolate square cake base covered in white fondont, topped with a vanilla sponge cake and covered in a dark chocolate mousse. Yum, Yum, Yum. If only i got to eat this one.

American Themed Leaving Party

2009-08-26T00:45:00.002-05:00

This is the cake that was made for Dans American themed leaving party. He is leaving to go to university in the states. My brother (hadley) and him have been friends since they were very little. So we went all out, american themed food, costumes, and decorations.

The cake was soooooo good. And was gone in only a few seconds.

Deep Fried Pizza

2009-08-26T00:39:00.003-05:00

Last week Hadley decided he really really wanted to try one of Scotlands newest favorite deep fried food. Deep Fried Pizza. Yes, you heard me right. Pizza!! Hes accually tried deep frying many things before. Which most he has enjoyed, turns out anything deep fried turns out delious.

Any way, i tried it. The pizza was so good. I could only handle a couple mouthfuls, but it was amazing i do have to admit.

All you have to do, is freeze a slice of pizza. Dip in batter, then fry till golden brown.