Slice of Wednesday: Apple Slice
I love apple slice. I judge a bakery on it's apple slice (after it passes the Vanilla Slice test, but that's another Wednesday.)
And you know what? I've never made it. Not once. I love Slice of Wednesday. It's a whole new world of baking action.
I have eaten quite a lot of apple slice over the years though, and it's very straightforward, right? A crisp shortbready biscuit top and bottom and apple in between. Perfect in its simplicity.
I checked the Mayflower cookbook, and there was an apple slice but there seemed to be a lot of sugar in it. It's not supposed to be super sweet, this one. You want to appreciate that apple.
I also happened to have a big pile of apples that were past their prime (due to Henry having a wobbly front tooth which apparently precludes him from eating more than one apple a day – we formerly had a cap on his number of apples per day at five.)
I also had Tilly up from 4.30am today with the (brief) chucking bug which hit Ivy on Monday. And then Henry up at 6am with the same thing. Hello, laundry.
And so you see, I needed to make apple slice today.
And here it is.
Glorious. (If I may say so.) I have a ridiculous euphoria looking at this slice. NAILED IT.
Of course the converse happens all the time. Nothing wrecks my day like a baking failure. If you hear me snap at my children, look no further than the flat inedible sourdough poking out of the chook bucket. Oh yes, sourdough and I. A battle of wills.
But not today. Today was a high five the oven day. With a piece of apple slice in the fridge to celebrate.
APPLE SLICE
Ingredients:
2 cups plain/all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ cup sugar
125g butter, softened
1 egg, beaten
2 cups (approx) stewed apple (just apple, no sugar), cooled.
Method:
You can make this in a food processor if you have one: just whizz all ingredients together, give a bit of a knead then pop it into fridge for 5 mins, wrapped in cling wrap.
Or, sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl, stir through the sugar, then mix in the butter with a fork until it looks breadcrumby. Add the egg. Knead well, until smooth then pop it into fridge for 5 mins, wrapped in cling wrap.
Break the dough in half and roll out the bottom slab as close to the size of your tin as you can. (I used a classic Australian slice tin – I think it's 27cm x 13cm). Your tin needs to be greased, floured and lined with baking paper – then press the dough into the bottom. Trim if needed.
Spread approx 2 cups of apple over. Then roll out the top and place it over the apple.
Brush top with milk and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for 25 minutes on 180°C. Leave it in the tin until it's cold, then carefully lift out and slice up.
Store in the fridge.
DELICIOUS.
Plain stewed apple. Perfect for slices and babies (and recovering seven year old's with a wobbly tooth crisis.)
xxx
Cath
November 9, 2011 at 9:40 pmDo you have an apple slinky machine? It helps my son keep up his daily apple intake when he has a wobbly tooth 🙂
innerpickle
November 9, 2011 at 10:19 pmI dont have one but they have one in the canteen at school hence the one apple a day! Im going to keep my eye out for one, good idea. xx
Jen
November 10, 2011 at 7:18 amThat looks so super yummy,I will be adding it to my list! Thanks for sharing, and I love that you enjoy baking so much
Sarahb
November 10, 2011 at 8:36 amFi – just made this today for my family in the UK with all our autumn windfall apples (of which we have boxes!) and they all loved it. Thanks for posting. Tana even said it was ‘Fantastic’. I don’t get that very often 🙂
Jo
November 10, 2011 at 9:53 amYum – you’ve reminded me of my Saturdays working in the local bakery as a schoolgirl 😉 Do you think an egg-free sweet shortcrust pastry would work Fi?
alison@thisbloominglife
November 10, 2011 at 10:08 amBring on the vanilla slice, pleeeeeeeease. I haven’t had a decent one in years. Mmmm… and the apple looks divine! My fridge has upped and died on me overnight with a heap of apples in it so could be the day for it. At least I can use those as opposed to all the dairy and meats which are gone forever.
Greg Twemlow
November 10, 2011 at 11:17 amHey Fi That apple pie looks so delish – sorry to hear of your sourdough challenge. C’mon girl just remind yourself that the medieval mummas could do it : )
innerpickle
November 10, 2011 at 1:40 pmI absolutely do cept I dont have one. Its only one egg, try it without and bind with something else? xx
innerpickle
November 10, 2011 at 1:40 pmOh NO!!! Not the fridge!!! xx
innerpickle
November 10, 2011 at 1:41 pmMr Twemlow, if I hadnt tried your sourdough, Id think mine was OK!!! Next up: How to Make Sourdough at Buena Vista Farm with Greg. xx
innerpickle
November 10, 2011 at 1:42 pmI love that you are there and we are here and these boys are eating the same thing. Fantastic indeed. xx
rhonda jean
November 10, 2011 at 3:12 pmoh yes, THAT is a good apple slice. I’m pleased to note the classic vanilla slice is on your All Ordinaries Index. I believe my local small cake shop has the best vanilla slice in queensland. It’s so big though, that you have to cut it in three.
Jo
November 10, 2011 at 5:48 pmThanks Fi, I’ll try my standard pastry and see how I go.
Sue
November 10, 2011 at 7:33 pmCan I come and live at your house? (Failing that, can my kids?)
kim at allconsuming
November 10, 2011 at 9:54 pmOH MY – I ADORE these sorts of slices. ADORE. Am making tomorrow. It is PERFECT for me to take in to Mum at the rehab hospital too. Perfect!
Susan.
November 10, 2011 at 11:19 pmWhy do you reckon you have to grease, flour and line with baking powder? I’ve never understood that, surely one or the other – thought they did the same thing.
Anyway, it’s not world peace, just thought you might know!
Good lookin slice though,
Susan.
Susan.
November 11, 2011 at 9:55 am**and that’s meant to say baking paper!
kim at allconsuming
November 11, 2011 at 2:29 pmJust made it. Looks sensational. Am BUSTING to cut into it but know if I do it will crumble into a gagillion pieces. GODDAMMIT.
innerpickle
November 11, 2011 at 6:10 pmHigh five, lady. You me, we are 100% baking kindred spirits. xx
innerpickle
November 11, 2011 at 6:11 pmI honestly don’t know the science, but have in my life tried just grease, grease with paper, etc – every variation, and you know, for the sake of a minute and the paper, it’s not worth it sticking… it just works, you know?!
Bek
November 12, 2011 at 7:56 amI really want to make it! I’m too lazy to stew the apple first though …
innerpickle
November 12, 2011 at 10:57 amGo crazy and buy a tin of apple at the supermarket, truly, sometimes you just need apple slice, right?
Emma
April 30, 2012 at 2:28 pmThis is one of my family’s all time favorite slices – I’ve made it every week since discovering your blog in Jan. thanks so much 🙂
red2white
June 19, 2012 at 4:08 amI make a very similar apple cake, juar cut (or grate) apples, without skin, they soften in the oven, but go brown unless a lot of lemon is added. And sprinkle cinammon and raisons on top of the apple layer.
Your cake looks mouthwatering!
isavoyage
January 17, 2013 at 12:42 amBaked it this morning and we had a third of it already (it 2 PM)! We loved it. Thanks for the recipe!
Linda Halkyard
April 8, 2013 at 1:35 pmHi I have made this fantastic apple slice twice now and my family devour it with homemade ice cream so yum thanks for the recipe hope your back on line soon xx
Linda
Joy
November 11, 2013 at 3:19 pmDelicious! I sprinkled a bit of cinnamon over the apple before putting on the top pastry too. The pastry is pretty difficult to roll and lift in one piece though. Would a dash of milk hurt?
Earlene
August 3, 2014 at 10:54 amI patted in the bottom layer and raised it up the sides a little, but let the top layer chill for half an hour in the fridge, which made it easier to roll out. I can see there’s an art to this pastry. Fromm your photo it looks like you’ve tucked your top pastry layer down to meet the bottom layer. Here in the states we don’t have this particular dessert so I have high hopes for it. It looks nicer than a slice of American Apple pie, which is so heavy on the apple. I’m a crust person, so any tips for handling the pastry would be appreciated!