Toffee Apples – photo guide

I'm so sorry you can't smell the apples.

Less is definitely more – treacly sugar, fragrant and zesty oranges and the richness of the butter – finally the hero - Cox apples.

What's not to love!

Your Autumn Treasure continued

Turn a glut into treasure trove.

It always seems to be that when you've had a great summer it produces so much of a glut it's difficult to know what to do with the bounty.

Have you been given yet another bag of eating apples? I have – here's what I did with mine :

Toffee Apples

but not as you think of them

6-8 large Cox's apples, peeled, quartered and each

quarter sliced into 4

115g/4oz unsalted butter

125g/4½oz soft dark brown sugar

1 medium orange, zest and juice

Place the apples, butter, soft dark brown sugar, orange zest and juice into a large frying pan and cook for 10 minutes until tender.

The recipe given will give you 1.5k/3.3lbs of toffee apples. I box up in smaller quantities – it's more economical and so no waste - you can pull out whatever you need. It's whatever suits you.

The world really is your lobster with the toffee apples :

You can serve hot or cold over ice cream or custard

You can use as a base for crumble

You can serve on top of waffles with ice cream or cream

You can serve as a filling in a crepé

My original use for these toffee apples is as a base for a tart tatin – it's on the blog if you'd like to check out the recipe on the blog – Sunday 18th October 2015 Speed Sweet TATT.

Photos up next!

Cheese Feast photo guide

I hope you'll love these – and I hope you get what I'm trying to say – fill your freezer with one element – the pastry cases – or two if you want to make up the filling and freeze it – result – fab food quickly and easily.

You don't have to make the pastry if you'd rather not – a ready-made shortcrust sheet will do, it just won't have the cheese.

The verdict of the jury was … yum – a light crispy pastry – a double cheesy hit, definitely worth a shot.

There were two leftover, so lunch for the next day. I warmed them for 20 minutes at 160fan/180c/Gas 4. The feasts were still light and crispy – they held their shape very well – I cut one into quarters and it was perfect to pick up with my fingers.

I'm already thinking of other uses for home-made shortcrust pastry – hold that thought.

Feeling creative?

My Cheese Feasts ...

… the theory and the practice.

I've already made the cheese pastry bases and cooked them – they're in my freezer or rather they were – I've taken out six, ready to be filled for supper tonight.

In my fridge I've got the baked potatoes that I cooked whilst my oven was on.

I've also got a lump of Red Leicester cheese that is only fit for grating and the same again with Mature Cheddar. Grated and bagged together they weigh 200g – I'm using 100g.

I've always got onions, so I finely chop half a large one and soften it gently with a knob of unsalted butter and a drop of rapeseed oil – 5 minutes – approximately 180g

I do check my fridge to make sure I've got another of my staples – Dijon mustard – yep, present and correct!

I take two baked potatoes from my fridge stash, peel and cut into small dice – weight is approximately 400g and tip into a large mixing bowl, mash the potato using a fork, add the onion and 100g of the mixed grated cheese together with a teaspoon of mustard, just a sprinkle of salt – it's already in the cheese and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Mix well. The mixture can be made ahead, boxed and fridged.

Pre-heat your oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6.

Place your cases on a baking sheet and fill each case with a generous amount of the filling. Bake for 20 minutes.

The “Feasts” don't have to be veggie - I served mine with ham hock but the world really is your lobster – your filling can be whatever you want it to be, think on … as we say up North … you might want to consider cooking more than you need for a meal so that you deliberately create leftovers for your own version of a “feast”.

Photo guide up next.

Your pastry rules

Pastry making is another form of therapy for me but it's a technique that scares some cooks. I love shortcrust pastry – it has been overtaken by puff pastry in recent times. The invention of the ready-made pastry sheet is without doubt fantastic but it's good to make sure you can still cut it.

Here are some basic rules you'll find helpful :

Shortcrust pastry is half fat to flour and then liquid to bind

Flour contains gluten – the more you work your pastry the more

you develop the gluten and if you want a pastry suitable for a patio

that's how to achieve it!

Your pastry should be crumbly – your ingredients

should be cold – it will help keep the pastry light and crumbly -

including your kitchen – first thing in the morning is best

When rolling out try not to use too much flour – you're adding

more flour to your pastry and distorting the recipe

If you have to work on a warm day in a warm kitchen

then roll it between two sheets of baking parchment

Rest your pastry for 30 minutes in the fridge before rolling it will also prevent shrinkage when baking

Rest your pastry again, covered, when rolled out and in its tins

Having inwardly digested all of the above there is one golden rule that should always be observed – baking is a science – be accurate with your weighing out. There's nothing wrong with using a food processor to make your pastry but I think you get a better result from using what comes naturally – your own hands.

Coming up next is the result of my “therapy session”!

Do you like making pastry?

... I do!

Here's my first idea for your treasure chest – Cheese Feasts – using a cheese shortcrust pastry.

Cheese Feasts

200g/8oz plain (all purpose) flour

pinch of salt

100g/4oz unsalted butter, diced

100g/4oz mature cheddar cheese, finely grated

ice cold water to bind

1 egg, beaten for egg wash

Place the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl, add the diced butter and rub in using your thumb and index finger until you have a texture resembling fine breadcrumbs. Add your grated cheese and mix. Make a well in the centre and add a glug of water. Using a round bladed knife bring the pastry together. Add another glug of water and continue bringing together until the pastry holds together and you have a “clean” mixing bowl. Add your water gradually, your pastry should not be too wet. Wrap the pastry in cling film and fridge it for 20/30 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface cut your pastry in half and roll out half thinly – 0.5cms/1/8”. I used non stick cases 10cms/4” in diameter. If you turn one upside down and place on the pastry, cut out six circles using a round bladed knife. You'll get twelve cases from the quantity of pastry.

You have options – I placed the uncooked cases in bags and put them straight into the freezer. You can freeze some or all – if you want to use immediately fridge them, then egg wash when you're ready to bake. Pre-heat your oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6 and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. Set them aside to cool, ready for filling.

Pastry rules coming next!

Remember your Treasure Chest …

… aka your freezer? Autumn/Fall is upon us, like it or not, so here are some thoughts which will help you to get the best out of your treasure chest.

I know planning is not everyone's idea of fun but you will be pleased with what you save – in time and dosh.

The first bit you won't like – clear out your freezer – you know that at least a third of its contents you won't even remember buying or, for that matter, recognise!

What you cook and freeze is largely controlled by the likes and dislikes of your family.

It's good to use what's in season too and usually there's a glut of produce, enabling you to take advantage of some good deals.

Now that you've cleared out your freezer and have loads of space I'm going to give you some idea of what to cook to re-stock it so that you've the basics in your treasure chest to make your Autumn cooking stress free.

There are other ways you can save yourself time - you know that I live by the mantra “whilst I'm at it, I might as well” - my favourite “whilst I'm at it ...” example is baking potatoes when my oven is already on, usually six at a time.

Planning ahead and filling your treasure chest will help you put together meals quickly and easily.

By the way - do you like making pastry?