- 8
Ingredients
- 120 g unsalted butter, softened
- 150 g caster sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
- 80 ml brandy
- 80 ml lemon juice
- 1 large orange, zested
- 10 granny smith apples
- Salted caramel
- 110 g caster sugar
- 160 ml pouring cream
- 30 g salted butter, chopped
Preparation
Step 1
Apple confit
Using pasty brush, grease an 8.5cm x 24 cm terrine mould with 20g butter. Cut and 8.5cm x 44cm strip of baking paper and use to line the base and short ends of the mould.
Place 75g sugar in a samll, heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Cook, without stirring, until a light caramel, then pour into mould, swirling the mould to coat the base.
Melt remaining 100g butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in vanilla, remaining 75g sugar, brandy, lemon juice and orange zest in a bowl.
Working with 1 apple at a time, peel, then, using a mandoline or sharp knife, cut lengthwise into 3mm thick slices, avoiding the core. Place 1 1/2 T brandy mixture in a bowl, add the apple slices and toss to coat. Tightly pack slices, slightly overlapping, in the mould.
Repeat the process with remaining apples, brandy mixture and butter, builing layers 2cm beyond rim. Cover with a sheet of baking paper, then tightly wrap in foil.
Preheat oven to 180C. Place mould on an oven tray> bake for 30 minutes, then reduce oven to 150C and bake for a further 30 minutes. Remove foil and baking paper, reduce oven to 140C, then bake for a further 1 1/2 hours or until a knife can be inserted easily into apples and most of the excess cooking liquid has evaporated. Cool.
Wrap cardboard in plastic wrap, then place on top of apple confit. Weigh down with 3 x 400g food cans (the gentle weight on the apple confit as it cools, fuses the apple slices together to form a compact, even shape.) Refrigerate overnight or until firm.
Salted caramel:
Place sugar and 60ml water in a small, heavy based saucepan over low heat. Cook, without stirring, until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium and cook for a further 15 minutes or until a dark caramel. Carefully stir in cream, then bring to the boil. Whisking continuously, add butter, 1 piece at a time, then stir in pinch of salt. Cool caramel to room temperature, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
Submerge mould containing the apple confit in a sink filled with 2cm deep with hot water then run a knife around the inside the mould to release. Carefully invert the mould to release. Trim edges, then cut into 3cm thick slices.
Drizzle slices with caramel.