Szarlotka apple pie

Discover the history of Szarlotka apple pie.

1. Shortcrust pastry

   • 320 g pastry or all purpose flour
   • 200 g butter
   • 60 g sour cream or crème fraîche
   • 50 g egg (1)
   • 40 g brown sugar
   • 40 g vanilla or white sugar
   • 5 g baking powder
   • 3 g salt

   • We start by combining the flour, the two sugars, the yeast and the salt in a bowl. Then add the cold butter, cut into small cubes, and mix until it turns into sandy texture. We don't want the butter to be completely integrated, so that you can see bits of butter here and there.
   • Then add the egg and sour cream and mix just enough to make a compact dough.
   • Divide it into two parts, one a little larger than the other and put the smaller part in the freezer for at least 1 hour.
   • The other part is kept at room temperature until ready to use.

2. Pastry cream

   • 500 g whole milk
   • 90 g white sugar
   • 50 g corn flour
   • 50 g egg yolks (3)
   • 1 cinnamon stick
   • Zest of half a lemon

   • Heat the milk, cinnamon and lemon zest in a saucepan over medium heat until it comes to the boil. Then turn off the heat, cover the mixture and leave the milk to infuse for about 20 minutes.
   • After this time, strain the milk and heat it over a medium heat until it comes to the boil.
   • Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the cornflour, sugar and egg yolks and mix well with a whisk until there are no lumps in the mixture.
   • When the milk comes to the boil, pour it in a trickle over the egg yolk mixture and stir it in. Return the mixture to the heat and cook over a medium heat until it thickens.
   • Finally, transfer the cream to a container, cover with cling film and put it in the fridge for at least 4 hours.

3. Apple filling

   • 1500 g Grand Smith / Pink Lady / Reineta apples
   • 80 g vanilla or white sugar
   • 20 g lemon juice
   • 5 g powdered cinnamon
   • 3 g salt

   • First, peel the apples, core them and grate them with a large-hole grater.
   • Then mix them in a large saucepan with the vanilla sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and salt. Cook over medium/high heat for about 20 minutes until the juice from the apples has evaporated completely.
   • Then transfer to a bowl and set aside until ready to use.

4. Cider caramel

   • 125 g apple cider
   • 50 g heavy cream (35% fat)
   • 40 g glucose
   • 25 g vanilla or white sugar
   • 20 g butter
   • 1 g salt

   • Start by reducing a 125 ml bottle of cider. In a frying pan, cook the cider over high heat until most of the cider has evaporated and approximately 30 g of cider remains. Then turn off the heat and set aside.
   • Next, heat the cream and glucose in a saucepan until the latter is completely dissolved. Set aside.
   • Then, in a frying pan, melt the sugar until it turns a deep amber caramel and immediately add the cream mixture and the reduced cider. Cook for a further minute and pour into a tall glass.
   • When the toffee has cooled to 60° C, add the butter and salt and whisk together.
   • Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside at room temperature until ready to use.

5. Assembly

   • Spread the shortcrust pastry from the refrigerator with the dough in a 20 cm x 20 cm square tart frame until it covers the entire surface evenly.
   • Next transfer the apple filling and spread it with a spoon and leave it smooth.
   • Right after, add the pastry cream on top of the apple filling and smooth it out with a spatula.
   • Then, we take the piece of shortcrust pastry out of the freezer and grate it on top of the cream with the same grater we used for the apples.
   • Finally, bake for 30 minutes at 180º C.
   • Leave to cool to room temperature, sprinkle with a little icing sugar and pour over the cider toffee that we have prepared to taste.
   • Keep in the fridge and leave at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

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