Inis Meáin apple sponge tart
SERVES
18
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
45
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
25
MINUTES
CUISINE
Irish
COURSE
Baking
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Make the pastry first and leave in fridge overnight if possible. If you are short on time you can divide the pastry into 2cm thick discs, wrap in cling film and place in freezer, making sure the disks are not touching each other. Leave for no more than 30 minutes in the freezer to chill while you are preparing the sponge and filling. However, the pastry is a little bit more difficult to work with this way, than if you refrigerate it overnight and then take out of fridge 15 minutes before rolling.
To make the pastry, cream the butter and sugar together in a food mixer, add the egg and beat for several minutes. Add the flour, turn out onto a floured surface, flatten into a round to chill overnight or smaller discs for the freezer as described above.
To make the sponge, cream the butter in a food mixer, then add the caster sugar and mix well. Add the eggs gradually and mix well between each addition. Sieve the flour and baking powder and mix in gradually. Add the milk and mix lightly.
Grease the baking tray with butter and dust with flour.
Turn the pastry out onto a well floured surface. Roll the pastry to a thickness of 3-4mm and line the baking tray base with it. As it can be difficult to move such a large layer of thin pastry to the tray at once, this can be done in two separate pieces that each line half the tray, using your finger to blend the two halves together in the middle.
Prepare the apple slices and spread gently and evenly on top of the pastry. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Spread sponge mixture gently on top of apple slices. Place tray in oven.
After 10 minutes turn tray to make sure the sponge browns evenly. Check after a further 10 minutes, and again after a further 5 minutes turning as necessary (total baking time approximately 25 minutes). It is done when the sponge is an even golden brown. Leave to stand and cool a little in the tin before portioning into 18 slices. Delicious served warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
This recipe is from Marie Thérèse de Blacam, owner of Inis Méain Restaurant & Suites
Ingredients
For the pastry:
225g butter
50g caster sugar
2 eggs
350g white flour
For the sponge:
250g butter
350g caster sugar
6 eggs
350g flour
2 rounded tsp baking powder
2 tbsp milk
For the filling:
6 large cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 heaped tbsp brown sugar
1 rectangular baking tray 40 x 30 x 4cm (16 x 12 x 1.5in)
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Make the pastry first and leave in fridge overnight if possible. If you are short on time you can divide the pastry into 2cm thick discs, wrap in cling film and place in freezer, making sure the disks are not touching each other. Leave for no more than 30 minutes in the freezer to chill while you are preparing the sponge and filling. However, the pastry is a little bit more difficult to work with this way, than if you refrigerate it overnight and then take out of fridge 15 minutes before rolling.
To make the pastry, cream the butter and sugar together in a food mixer, add the egg and beat for several minutes. Add the flour, turn out onto a floured surface, flatten into a round to chill overnight or smaller discs for the freezer as described above.
To make the sponge, cream the butter in a food mixer, then add the caster sugar and mix well. Add the eggs gradually and mix well between each addition. Sieve the flour and baking powder and mix in gradually. Add the milk and mix lightly.
Grease the baking tray with butter and dust with flour.
Turn the pastry out onto a well floured surface. Roll the pastry to a thickness of 3-4mm and line the baking tray base with it. As it can be difficult to move such a large layer of thin pastry to the tray at once, this can be done in two separate pieces that each line half the tray, using your finger to blend the two halves together in the middle.
Prepare the apple slices and spread gently and evenly on top of the pastry. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Spread sponge mixture gently on top of apple slices. Place tray in oven.
After 10 minutes turn tray to make sure the sponge browns evenly. Check after a further 10 minutes, and again after a further 5 minutes turning as necessary (total baking time approximately 25 minutes). It is done when the sponge is an even golden brown. Leave to stand and cool a little in the tin before portioning into 18 slices. Delicious served warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
This recipe is from Marie Thérèse de Blacam, owner of Inis Méain Restaurant & Suites
