Apple Rosette

The rain brought some relief this weekend after the unusual hot Spring week. Err, so guess what I did on the first cool day that we had this Spring? I had decided to bake.

I had a free weekend and so I thought that I might bake something. I had watched this video on Tips Hero and wanted to give the recipe a try. So basically, it's an apple rosette, slices of cooked apples rolled in pastry to look like roses. It was so pretty!

Watch the video. http://tiphero.com/baked-apple-roses/

I made more than six roses and I mixed up some spiced brown sugar instead of fruit preserves for fillings. So, here is the recipe from the link.

Ingredients:

Here’s what you need to make 6 of your own roses:

-4 apples, cored and halved (leave the skin on)
-Juice from 1/2 lemon
-3 Tbsp fruit preserves ( I used apricot but you can use your favorite fruit)
-2 Tbsp water (plus more for apple soak)
-1 sheet of puff pastry
-Cinnamon, to taste

Instructions:

– Preheat Oven to 375 degrees

– Put apple slices in microwave safe bowl. Fill bowl with water and juice from half a lemon. Use enough water to make sure apple slices are covered by water. Microwave for 3 minutes. This will soften the apple slices and make them more pliable for rolling up.

– Next grab a sheet of puff pastry. Flour your board and roll out the puff pastry enough to make 6 strips at 3 inches wide. I scored and cut mine with a pizza wheel put you can use a knife.

– In a bowl mix your favorite fruit preserves with a couple tablespoons of water. Then spoon out the preserves in the center of the strip of puff pastry.

– Next place the apple slices long ways halfway on the strip. Keep adding slices until you reach the end. Then fold the puff pastry over the bottom of the apple slices.

– Roll up the puff pastry and place in a greased muffin tin.

– Bake the apple roses for 35-45 minutes.

– Pull out of oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

Pineapple Jam

Chinese New Year is coming. Every year I try to make at least one Chinese New Year cookies, last year, it was peanut cookies, so yum..... the year before it was pineapple jam tarts. My household loves this jam tarts. So I try to make an effort to make this.  You would think that, one would find it easier as time goes by with the jam making. But strangely for me, not so much.

This is my second batch of jam making this week. The one that I made last week was a tad watery, I think I shall have to use it for glazing or dessert flavourings or saucing. It was just not fibrous enough, to hold the shape of a round ball to put on top of my open faced tart.

I wanted it to be drier than the first batch. No tears this time, just a lot of determination. I must be getting old because I forgot to strain it last week. It works so much better if one follows the recipe and don't just wing it! :) I blame getting old... Thank goodness, the pineapples are not too dear to buy this time of the year. I would have cried if it was. Besides, there more to CNY than pineapple jam tarts, right? Errr, NO! Not for all the Ang Pows in the world :)

Ingredients

3 - 4 Pineapples
2 cups of sugar ( you can add more but I don't like it too sweet.)
I cinnamon stick

Method

1. Remove pineapple skins, 
2. Cut into pieces
3. Process in a blender, I use chop instead of grind for coarser result
4. Put mash pineapple thru strainer
5. Collect the juice, you may need it for your Rum or if jam gets too dry. 
6. Heat up pan or wok
7. Put strained pineapple pulp into pan and leave alone to cook till soft
8. Add two cups of sugar, mix and leave alone
9. Check on cooking to ensure it is caramelising nicely and not burnt. Stir it as needed.
10. When it nice and thick and golden hue, turn heat off
11. Leave to cool. 
12. Once cooled, put in a sterile jar and keep in refridgerator till you are ready to use it.

You can use it for toast. This jam is so yummy, you shouldn't restrict yourself to just having it on the New Year. As for my other batch... hmmmm I can still use it for icecreams, cakes, or meat glazing on the BBQ. Meanwhile, ahem... need to find some use for juice, Where's that rum??

See how much juice you collect, if you strain it? If you don't strain, that works too but it takes longer for the jam to reduce the liquid and I am sure, no one wants to spend hours on it. Not when there's rum to be drunk !!! 

Chinese New Year Pineapple Jam

The making of the Pineapple Jam for pineapple jam tarts prior to Chinese New Year. A very short photo blog.

Ingredients

• 2 Fresh pineapple (chopped and blended) I prefer Queensland Gold, very sweet! 
• 2 cups of granulated sugar
• I cinnamon stick (Personal preference) 

Method

• Put all ingredient in pan and cook till liquid is gone ( like a reduction)
• Leave to cool
• Store in sterile jar, can be kept for weeks, months in freezer till ready for jam tarts.

For tarts, please go to http://www.yummystuffgoeshere.com/2011/01/chinese-new-year.html