WATCHING
MY MUM BAKE
***
A long time ago, when my family and I still lived in the two-story red-brick cottage along Sea Breeze Road, I used to sit on the ledge of the kitchen door, watching my mum as she baked for hours on end.
Across the light brown tiled kitchen floor, sheād sometimes be mixing the batter with orange zest for her specialty butter pound cake; or making my grannyās almond cookies; or rolling the dough for pineapple tarts whenever Chinese New Year was right round the corner.
I would sit cross-legged on the floor, lured by the zesty aroma of citrus fruits, or the twirls of brown butter cooking in a pan, or the smell of baking pineapple tarts wafting around the kitchen, mesmerized by this lovely concoction of amazing perfumes and delicious aromas.
Yet, while I was attracted by these amazing smells that emanated from the kitchen, I never quite understood the magic of baking. Iād watch my mum dedicate Sunday afternoons in the kitchen, and wondered in my child-like innocence, what it was that kept her there, kneading and mixing and baking.
Remembering those early days of my childhood, during which I observed my mum in fascination and curiosity, I marvel at how baking, something I never felt attracted to when I was young, has now become a completely unexpected passion.
***
APPLE CINNAMON
GALETTE
***
So there I was last weekend, again, standing in the kitchen, warm from the heat of the oven, with my hands white with flour and sticky with dough. Iād been thinking all week about making another fruit tart again, after my first attempt at a strawberry and lemon mascarpone tart turned out much more successful than I expected. And later, when I saw how beautiful Shannaās strawberry peach tart on maple shortbread cookie crust was, the idea of making another fruit tart was stuck so firmly in my head that I had no choice but to set about making one.
The attraction of kneading dough and then making a tart was just too strong to resist.
While I had really aspired to make a blueberry or peach tart, or something of that kind of exotic fruit variation, I was left with little choice except to make one with fruits that are available now, in winter.
Eventually I decided on making a simple, rustic apple cinnamon galette.
A galette made with thin slow-baked apple slices well mixed with sugar and a dash of cinnamon, all wrapped in a deliciously sweet shortcrust pastry shell.
You know, the kind that smells of a bountiful harvest at a fruit orchard, and the kind that looks so tempting and welcoming, you canāt help but cut a slice to eat. Thereās something comforting about the taste and smell of warm apples; like memories of apple puree we ate when we were mere babies. The sweetness mixed with the slight sourness of fresh apples, warm and all melting in your mouth, is just pure delight.
And, really, Iām so excited my mum and my sis will be coming to visit me so soon ā I can imagine baking with my mum, hanging out with Valerie, and basically just having so much fun, Iām thrilled to the bones.
Meanwhile, enjoy this apple cinnamon galette & have a beautiful week!
APPLE CINNAMON GALETTE (Serves 4)
Shortcrust pastry adapted from A Cup of Mascarponeās Blueberry and Lemon Mascarpone Tart recipe
Ingredients:
Shortcrust pastry:
1) 125g ā 180g of all purpose-flour, sifted
2) 115g of butter, cut into small cubes
3) 65g of icing sugar, sifted
4) 3 egg yolks
5) 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
6) 1 tablespoon of iced water
7) 2 teaspoons of sugar
Apple cinnamon filling:
1) 2 apples, peeled, cored, cut into quarters and then sliced as thinly as possible (I used green apples, because I prefer the slight sourness, but you can always use red apples, or a mix of both)
2) 1/2 cup of sugar
3) 1/2 – 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon powder
Steps:
1) Mix flour, butter and icing sugar in a bowl using two knives to cut the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs
2) Add in the egg yolks and vanilla extracts and mix well, then add iced water until the dough starts to come together
3) Shape the dough into a ball on a cool, flat, floured surface
4) Flatten dough into a disc and then wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes
5) Meanwhile, peel, core and slice the apples into as thin slices as possible
6) Mix sugar and ground cinnamon powder with sliced apples and let it rest for a while
7) Pre-heat oven to 180 deg cel
8) Once dough has chilled, roll pastry dough on a sheet of parchment paper until it has expanded to the size of the tart mold (I used a rough mold the size of a large pizza)
9) Leaving at least an inch of dough free, arrange apple slices by overlapping them slightly in the shape of a circle, starting from the outermost part of the circle, until you reach the inside
10) Fold the edges of dough over the filling and then sprinkle the dough with a bit of sugar
11) Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the apples are soft
12) Serve warm, with a side of whipped cream or ice cream (optional)
Mix flour, butter and icing sugar in a bowl using two knives to cut the butter:
Until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs:
Add in the egg yolks and vanilla extracts and mix well:
Then add iced water until the dough starts to come together:
Shape the dough into a ball on a cool, flat, floured surface:
Flatten dough into a disc and then wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes:
Meanwhile, peel, core and slice the apples into as thin slices as possible, and mix sugar and ground cinnamon powder with sliced apples and let it rest for a while:
Once dough has chilled, roll pastry dough on a sheet of parchment paper until it has expanded to the size of the tart mold (I used a rough mold the size of a large pizza):
Leaving at least an inch of dough free, arrange apple slices by overlapping them slightly in the shape of a circle, starting from the outermost part of the circle, until you reach the inside:
Fold the edges of dough over the filling and then sprinkle the dough with a bit of sugar:
Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the apples are soft:
Jess @ On Sugar Mountain says
Ok first things first – this galette is lovely. I am totally bookmarking it for when autumn arrives here in the states in a few months. š And its so neat that you grew up watching your mum bake…mine sort of hates baking with a passion LOL so I did most of the baking in my house. š
rosewithoutthorns says
Well my mum didnt exactly bake every weekend, but when she did I remember watching her and wondering what the attraction was! Now I finally know š
peanutbutterandonion says
Love these…. I love apples in pastry. I appreciate the step by step instructions
rosewithoutthorns says
Hi! thanks so much for stopping by! Glad you appreciate the step-by-step photo instructions! š Have a beautiful week!
tinywhitecottage says
Wow! This is such a deliciously wonderful post! I love the rustiness of a galette and apple pie is my favorite pie. I am going to make this in the fall when the apple tree outside has blessed us with it’s fruit. I love the way your organized the apple slices inside. There is love in that galette…
rosewithoutthorns says
Hello dear! your sweet comments somehow always make my day (or in this case, night!). Thank you so much!
Wow, you’re fortunate that you have an apple tree! I can just imagine the bounty of apples you get when fall arrives! when I still lived in Singapore, we had fruit trees too – like coconut trees and mango trees and lime plants. I miss having a nice little garden with fresh fruits! š
tinywhitecottage says
This apple tree is so interesting though. Some seasons it produces really good fruit and other years the apples are not so good. It’s a mystery (to us) not knowing how to manipulate the outcome! We just sort of “get what we get”. Hopefully this year will be good for plenty of galettes!!
rosewithoutthorns says
I sure hope so too! crossing my fingers (and toes!) for your apple tree to produce a harvest with sweet, delicious apples – for making plenty of galettes, apple jam, apple pies, apple crumble, apple strudels etc etc!
gracelimsaifong says
Thanks for remembering those days at Sea Breeze Road. I always like the delighting aroma when apples and cinnamon are baked together!
Looking forward to seeing you real soon! I love you, darling!
rosewithoutthorns says
Yay! Just one more week till u and Val are here š
Min (@mjandhungryman) says
Yum! This looks mighty tasty, Felicia! I don’t recall my mom baking..ever! We were fine with that as her cooking more than made up for it ;). Hope you have a wonderful time with your mom and sister!!
rosewithoutthorns says
Hey Min!
Hope you had a great weekend with Tim š
Yeah, perhaps baking isn’t so prominent in Asian households, and while my mum loved baking, it wasn’t like she baked every weekend either. She’s baked every once in a while, but with such an enjoyment that made me wonder what it was that attracted her so much to it… and I finally understand š
Have a beautiful week dear! love you!