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( pic under cut )
Not my very best result, but I haven't done one in a while. Funnily enough, even though the shell doesn't look perfect, it tasted delicious--better than the one I did Wednesday! My problem is that the dough is sticking to everything. I should get one of those cloths you put on top of the board--they really do work as they absorb the excess flour rather than the dough. I can't really use a rolling pin cover as my preferred pin is the tapered French type. (I've also got a French style straight pin [I never grip handles anyway, I roll the pin under my palms] but you get a better feel for the dough with a thinner pin. However, I think it's maple, which isn't as heavy as boxwood; that might work better, but I'm not going to start collecting rolling pins. Unless someone wants to get me a French tutove pin for puff pastry--they're $200!!)
You can also see that one side of my oven is noticeably hotter than the other... and the tart was covered for most of the baking!
Still, it tasted great. :) Apple tarts/pies are some of my favourite desserts. They're both simple and complex. The basics (pastry, apples, sugar, spices) are easy and it's not hard to turn out a good pie. But under the surface, there's more going on, and turning out a truly great pie is much more difficult. The pastry needs to be buttery, flaky, and light. You have to pick out the right apples, balance the sugar and spices, and use just the right amount of thickener so the juices don't run everywhere but aren't gluey. I've been making them for a long time, and I reckon I make a good one, but there's always more to learn...
Not my very best result, but I haven't done one in a while. Funnily enough, even though the shell doesn't look perfect, it tasted delicious--better than the one I did Wednesday! My problem is that the dough is sticking to everything. I should get one of those cloths you put on top of the board--they really do work as they absorb the excess flour rather than the dough. I can't really use a rolling pin cover as my preferred pin is the tapered French type. (I've also got a French style straight pin [I never grip handles anyway, I roll the pin under my palms] but you get a better feel for the dough with a thinner pin. However, I think it's maple, which isn't as heavy as boxwood; that might work better, but I'm not going to start collecting rolling pins. Unless someone wants to get me a French tutove pin for puff pastry--they're $200!!)
You can also see that one side of my oven is noticeably hotter than the other... and the tart was covered for most of the baking!
Still, it tasted great. :) Apple tarts/pies are some of my favourite desserts. They're both simple and complex. The basics (pastry, apples, sugar, spices) are easy and it's not hard to turn out a good pie. But under the surface, there's more going on, and turning out a truly great pie is much more difficult. The pastry needs to be buttery, flaky, and light. You have to pick out the right apples, balance the sugar and spices, and use just the right amount of thickener so the juices don't run everywhere but aren't gluey. I've been making them for a long time, and I reckon I make a good one, but there's always more to learn...