Plums and apples the flavours of autumn

In recent years I feel that we have lost sight of the seasons. The supermarkets bring us whatever fruit or vegetables that we want at any time of the year. Strawberries at Christmas being a good example of what I mean.  So, for this post I want to cook exactly what's in season and today that is apples and plums. The apples were given to my by a dear friend and the plums come from our garden in Italy. We picked them ourselves after waiting eagerly for them to ripen up to our satisfaction.

I decided to make small tartlets as I can contain myself to one rather than scoffing a large piece of a tart. I also wanted them to look pretty. Not too sure that I achieved that though. They certainly look homemade.

I tend not to weigh out too much when it comes to the filling as I just make use of what I have on hand.  If I make too much, I freeze it until I can use it up in a different way.

1. Make the filling by peeling, quartering and cubing some apples. I used Bramleys.
2. Remove the stones from an equal weight of plums and mix in to the apples. Add enough sugar to sweeten to your taste. I like mine sharp so I don't add too much. You can always taste after they are cooked and add more.
3. I cook mine in the microwave for as long as it takes to soften the fruit. All microwave ovens will differ.
4. Cool the mixture before using it to fill the pastry shapes.

Pastry:

200g plain flour

120g butter

60g sugar

1 egg

1. Rub the butter into the flour and sugar.
2. Add the egg and bring the mixture together into a ball of dough. If there is not enough liquid try adding a small spoonful of water at a time until the ball of dough forms.
3. Put the dough into the fridge to firm up. About 30mins should be enough.

Heat the oven to 180 degrees C.

On a floured surface roll out the pastry until it is about 3mm thick. Cut into rounds big enough to fill small muffin tins. Line the tins with the pastry.

Fill the moulds with enough of the apple and plum filling to just below the top of the moulds.

Roll out the remaining pastry and cut into strips. decorate the tops of the tartlets with the pastry.

Cook in a preheated oven until well browned.

Wait until the tartlettes have cooled a little before turning out.

Now for some custard or should it be cream?

Summer in Italy and Sponge Drops

Whoops, I've spent the summer in Italy and, as usual, my poor connection does not let me blog. I have been cooking though and taking pictures so I have lots of catching up to do.

I'll start with these delightful sponge drops as they are one of the foodie memories of my childhood. Soft sponge with a crisp outer shell encasing light fluffy cream and a sharp blackcurrant jam. Utter bliss.

These sponge drops are fairly easy to make and better still, unfilled can be frozen so that when the urge comes upon you that can be filled and, dare I say it, scoffed in an instant.

To make them you will need:
90g Plain flour
3 Eggs separated
90g Sugar
Vanilla essence
Icing sugar for dusting if you want to use it.

Heat oven to 240C. I have found that a fan oven is not good for this type of sponge as the sponge tends to crinkle and get smaller after it has cooked. A top and bottom heat is good.

Start by whisking the egg whites until really stiff. You can do this by putting the bowl over a pan of simmering water to heat the egg whites, or, use the cheats way, which is what I do and put the microwavable bowl in the micro for 10 second blasts. I find that it works a dream. Do be careful not to put it in for longer as you don't want cooked egg.

Break up the egg yolks and vanilla essence up with a fork and fold lightly, but throughly into the egg whites.

Now fold in the flour. Take note, there is no need to use a raising agent as the beaten egg is really all that you need. Be warned, do not be tempted to add any.

Put the mixture into a piping bag with a wide nozzle and pipe rounds the size of a small golf ball (does such a thing even exist) onto the a non-stick mat. They will rise and spread a little while cooking. If you make them bigger than you will just have to eat more so no hardship there.

Cook for about 10 minutes or use your judgement and cook until lightly browned. It will depend on your oven.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Thankfully they don't take long to do this so get whisking while they cool.

The amount of cream that you use is up to you but I found that 125ml was enough to fill about 6 - 8 sponge drops. Whisk the whipping cream in a clean cold bowl until it reaches the stage just beyond soft peak. I think that it has a technical name but I've forgotten what it is. Put into a piping bag and pipe over half of the sponge drops. Top with a dollop of jam of your choice and add the second half. Dust with icing sugar and eat.

Welsh Cakes In Italy

I know that this seems a little odd, but Welsh cakes cooked and eaten while they are still warm are wonderful. So why not eat them in Italy? From the picture of my wonderful grandaughter you can see that she can't wait to get stuck in.

Wesh cakes are really very simple to make and require very little in the way of equipment. I made these in a very heavy, large fryingpan, even though, traditionally, they are made on a bakestone.

To make about 36 (it depends on the size of the cutter) you will need:

200g self raising flour

100g butter

90g fine sugar

2 eggs

50g raisins. (traditionally currants but I prefer raisins)

Rub all of the ingredients, except the egg together as if you are making pastry. When you have fine breadcrumbs add enough beaten egg to bind the mixture. You are going to roll it out so it should be the consistency of pastry or even scones. When it is about 1/2 cnm thick cut out into rounds.

Cook on a heated bakestone. Cook one side first and then flip over and cook the other. You will need to control the heat other wise the cakes will burn.

Enjoy! c