The product of this recipe is just too delicious for words. It is definitely well worth the effort.
FOR THE PASTRY:
- 1 x 375g packet puff pastry, thawed
FOR THE CUSTARD:
- 310 ml Milk
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ tsp salt
- 4 egg yolks
FOR THE APPLES:
- 5 granny smith apples, peeled and cored
- 50g unsalted butter
- ¼ cup brown sugar
SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE:
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt for caramel sauce
- 60 ml cream
Preheat oven to 180 degrees and line two tray with baking paper.
1. To prepare the apples, quarter them, then cut each quarter into thin slices.
2. Heat a large frying pan, add the butter and stir to melt. Add the apples and toss them through the butter until they begin to soften slightly.
3. Add the brown sugar and stir, coating the apples in caramel, until the apples are par-cooked, about 10 minutes
4. Drain the apples, reserving the caramel sauce, and allow to cool in fridge.
WHILE THE APPLES COOL MAKE THE PASTRY CREAM:
1. Mix together the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a small bowl.
2. In a large heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Mix in the flour mixture to the egg yolk slowly. It will be thick and pasty. Set aside
3. Pour the milk and vanilla into a medium saucepan.
4. Place the pan over a high heat - heat milk until bubbles appear around the edges, but it is not boiling.
5. Once the milk is warm, remove from the heat and slowly pour into the egg mixture, whisking continuously and vigorously until the mixture begins to thicken and comes to a boil.
6. Once mixture thickens and is just beginning to bubble, whisk vigorously (to prevent lumps from forming) for 10 seconds and then turn off the heat.
7. Cover with plastic wrap, putting the plastic right onto the surface of the pastry cream. This will prevent a skin from forming.
8. Refrigerate
9. Once apples and pastry cream are cool, roll out the pastry slightly until about 2-3mm thick, cut your puff pastry into 8 to 10 12cm circles, and place them on the baking trays.
10. Using a small, sharp knife, score a circle about 1 cm inside from the border of the puff pastry.
11. Spread a generous teaspoon of pastry cream evenly over the inner circle of the pastry.
12. Arrange the apples in a fanned pattern in the middle of custard.
13. Place the trays in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.
14. While baking, heat the reserved cooking liquid in a saucepan
15. Add additional sugar and cook until a beautiful caramel colour, add salt.
16.Remove from heat and add cream, stir well.
17. Remove galettes from the oven, drizzle with the caramel sauce and serve.