Monday, August 26, 2013

Chaussons aux Pommes

Sunday mornings in Paris were the best. Despite the fact that I had to wake up at 5 am for work, they were definitely my favorite day. I loved spending time at work with my amazing co-workers and I knew a nice long run awaited me in the afternoon but one little treat I would indulge in were these wonderful Chaussons aux Pommes. 


Usually only made on the weekends around the city, these light, delicate, buttery, apple filled pastries are the perfect breakfast treat. A nice change up from your traditional croissant and beautiful to look at.
I really enjoy making these little guys and get so excited when they turn out nicely. I actually have a batch of these baking in my oven riiight now. Give these a try for your next weekend brunch. Your friends will love you for it!


Chaussons aux Pommes

Pâte feuilletage inverse (puff pastry)

Butter block
400g Butter
130g Flour


In your mixer, combine butter and flour until smooth and homogenous. Form this into a cube and wrap with plastic. Refrigerate until ready to use. 

Detrempe
270g Flour
10g salt
40g water

In your mixer, combine all ingredients to create a firm detrempe (read:dough). Kneed using the dough hook or by hand until the dough is elastic and pushed back when poked. This is a French culinary term for the first stage in the process of making puff pastry, which requires only flour and water. After, form into another smaller cube, wrap with plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.Onto a floured surface, roll out your butter dough in a rectangle just enough so that you can wrap the detrempe inside of it. Place the detrempe in the bottom half of the butter dough and fold the butter over the detrempe to enclose it with the butter. Note: don't be afraid to use flour on the counter and the top of the dough, butter is easily melted and sticky so you will need to use flour to prevent the sticking and if the dough gets too warm and soft stick it in the refrigerator to firm up again. 

Press together the ends of the butter to close everything up. Place the dough with the longest seam to your left, as if it is a book (an upside down one). Roll the dough out to about 10 cm x 35 cm long. Now you will give the dough its first "turn". Visually divide the dough into thirds. Fold the top third down and fold the bottom third up.


Repeat this three more times to total four turns keeping the long seam to the left. Remember, if the dough gets too warm and starts sticking to your table wrap it and refrigerate it until firm again (15 mins-30 mins).

Compote de Pomme

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon sugar
8 apples
150g apple sauce

peel apples and cut them into small cubes (separate 5 into one bowl, 3 into another)
brown your butter in a saucepan
add 5 of the diced apples and your sugar and mix until everything is covered with butter and sugar
top with a lid and let simmer on low heat until apples are very soft
take off the heat and mix your cooked apples with your apple sauce and then add the remaining chopped apples
refrigerate until ready to use.

Assembly

Roll out your dough until it is 1cm  in thickness. 
Use an oval cookie cutter about 5-6'' at its longest point
scoop a spoonful of compote in the center of one half of the oval (so you can fold it over and enclose it)
make an egg wash and brush around the edge of the dough and fold the empty half of the dough over the compote and lightly press the edges together to seal them.
turn upside down on your baking sheet and egg wash them twice.
using a knife, score a design into the dough.

bake at 350 until golden brown and puffy (about 30-45 mins) and let cool before eating (don't let those apples burn your tongue!)

*these can be frozen and kept up to three months!*

Bon Appetit!



3 comments:

  1. yum this recipe is a perfect match to my julia child life in france book!!

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  2. Oh my goodness. These look delicious. I can't wait to try and make this with my friends this weekend.

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  3. These are definitely one of my favorites! I was always a sucker for a good apple turnover :)

    ReplyDelete