Rose apple tarts,a thorn in my side

Como uma rosa que cresce Corrigir

Apesar de tudo isso

rosa Um simples entre espinhos

Uma rosa entre os espinhos

Like a rose that grows

In spite of it all

A simple rose among thorns

Dulce Pontes

With great expectations, I first saw this recipe being executed on the recent series of Masterchef, and then found it replicated all over pinterest.I researched the recipe on line,but must have taken a rose coloured view of its potential.Not every one in life is a winner.I started off with an unduly cheerful, optimistic view of things.All this was soon to change and become a thorn in my side.Everything that could possibly go wrong, did. For a start I think I need a better mandolin,however my fingers are still here and in one piece.I then realised the recipe required a Microwave.I have never owned or even used one,so what would be a good alternative way to soften the apples, pre-rolling.Thinking on my feet I decided I´d toss all the ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat.I left them too long and the wilted rather than softened.Oh dear not a good start.Maybe sautéing them in a skillet might have been a better alternative? I rolled out some of my own home made pate sucrée (sweet pastry)in place of the pie dough in the recipe,for which there was obviously a good reason for using(tried and tested and all that)My substitute was completely unsuitable.I pressed on regardless and tried to roll rose shapes from my soft apples.This step I managed remarkably well given the previous circumstances.I created rose like-NOT!!!! fillings for my pastry cases and then discovered I had made too many pastry rings for the roses.Recipe said 9 mine made 8,but I had already filled my 12 round Muffin tin.Thinking again I filled two with lemon curd and two with plum Jam.Into the oven they went and looked lovely when they came out 30 minutes later, but looking nothing like the original authors pictures.Oh dear, I needed a microwave again to soften the strawberry jam for my glaze.What the heck,my home made jam was more like confiture so brushed over the tarts beautifully.No instructions on how to remove the tarts from the muffin pan,so my improvised thought was leave them to cool completely on a wire rack and the see what happens.When cold I prised them out of the muffin rounds losing some of the pastry casing as I went and a couple collapsed completely.Once again my disdain for baking was proven.A thorn in my side that's all it'll ever be.

 

Rose apple tarts (as I should have made them)

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp sugar (see note below)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, very cold and cut into 1/2" cubes
• 3 tbsp ice cold water
  for the filling
• 2 apples (Pink Lady, Braeburn, Honeycrisp etc)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (see note below)
• 4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup strawberry preserves

for the dough
In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Stir to combine. Add in the cubed butter. Work the butter into the flour using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips until the mixture looks like a coarse meal and there are no pieces of butter larger than the size of a pea. Add in ice water and stir to combine. The mixture should just come together into a ball, add additional ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if dough seems dry.
Form the dough into a disc, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
On a well floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4" thick. Use a biscuit cutter, a cup or a bowl about 3 1/2-4" in diameter and cut out rounds of dough. Fit each round into the cup of a buttered muffin tin, pushing the dough up the sides. Chill dough while the filling is prepped.

for the filling
Preheat oven to 375F.
To cut the apples and remove the core, place the apple upright and make a cut about 1/8" from the center of the apple - basically making straight cuts around the core. Repeat on the remaining sides, you should have 2 large pieces, 2 small pieces and the core.
Using a mandolin or a very sharp knife, cut the apples very thinly into half moons. Toss the apples with the lemon juice. Melt 2 tbsp of butter and combine with 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Pour mixture over the apples along with lemon juice and toss to combine. Microwave apples for about 1 minute, until soft and pliable enough to roll.
Melt the remaining 2 tbsp of butter and combine with remaining 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Brush the bottom of each dough cup with the mixture.
To form the roses, place about 10 slices of apples on a flat surface, laying them out horizontally and consistently with the skin side facing you. Place each slice so it overlaps the previous slice by half. Begin tightly rolling the apples from one end to the other. Once you've got the basic rose shape, pick up the apples and add any additional apple "petals" around the outside, depending on how large you want the rose to be. I used about 12-18 slices per rose.
Put an apple rose in each cup of the muffin tin and bake for 25-30 minutes at 375F until crust is golden and apples are cooked through.
Warm the strawberry preserves in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Brush preserves over each apple rose to glaze.