Saturday, October 23, 2010

The Forbidden Fruit

I can't wait for Summer. Yeah...most people would argue that Spring is the best time of the year but to me...nah...Summer is special. Because Summer is when I get to taste manna from heaven - those delectable, tastiest of fruits aka APPLES!!! (most people do believe that the apple is the forbidden fruit of Adam and Eve....)

I'm not talking about those waxy old stuffs at the fruit shops. I'm talking about those tree-ripened apples of Bilpin, New South Wales, Australia. Granny Smiths, Royal Gala, Red Delicious, Yellow Delicious, Pink Lady, Braeburn, Jonaton....the list goes on and on. I love them all. And I love visiting the orchards. The delicate late blossoms, the many many branches of the trees....even the squishy fruits that fall on the grounds.

Well, this incident happened last Summer (enter theme from I Know What You Did Last Summer). It was about a week after we came back from Bilpin and the apple stock was diminishing at lightning speed. Somehow, I managed to keep some for my still life project. Hey...this cat is artistic, OK?

Anyway, I changed my mind and decided to practise my photography skills using the apples as the objects of desire. Who knows...I may get to be a pawpawrazzi someday... Oh...but I digress. So, tell me, does the apple look more delectable this way:


....or this way?


Suddenly, "Angelina, stop playing with your food!"

"No, Mama. I'm not playing with my food. I just want to see if I can make these Granny Smiths look more alluring with proper photography technique," I thought I sounded so defensive....

"I'll enrol you at the Uni of Sydney summer course in digital photography if you want to improve your skills, OK? Now, help me turn those apples into something more delicious," Mama continued.

"What could be more delicious than eating an apple in the raw, Mama? Hmmm....I know. You're making apple pies."

"Nope. No apple pies. I don't feel like making pastry today. It will be something equally delicious but less fattening. More importantly, less work," she explained.

"What could it be? You know I love those apple pies we ate in Bilpin. I'll take out the food processor."

"Have you heard of Apple Crumble, Angelina? That's what we're making today. Now, write down the recipe and then take out the ingredients from the pantry and fridge."

"Sounds delicious too, Mama. Let's get started."

Woohoo! So, here's the list of ingredients.

For the bottom layer:
4 medium apples (Granny Smiths), peeled, cored n diced
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp brown sugar
Combine all in pot, heat until apples are soft.

For the top layer:
1/2 cup flour or almond meal (Mama is gluten intolerance, hence the option of almond meal)
3 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup oats or chopped nuts (we used walnuts - in abundance in Bilpin around same time as apples)
60g butter or margarine
Mix all ingredients by hand until they crumble like this.

Then, put the bottom mixture in a baking dish. Use the back of a spoon to press the mixture so that you get a firm bottom like the pix below.
Then, spread top mixture evenly. Also use back of a spoon to press the mixture so you get a firm top.

Next, bake 30mins at 170oC or until top is browned all over.


Voila! Now you can scoop the Apple Crumble into small bowls and serve with ice cream. May I recommend Bulla vanilla ice cream? yummm.....

I do agree that this is way easier (and faster) than making apple pies. purrr....meow!


Masterchef Angelina signs off!

32 comments:

GRAÇA said...

Good weekend and play very
Ronrons of
Kika

Cat and DOG Chat With Caren said...

You have my mouth watering!

You remind me of my husband, he is INSANE for apples!

I tell him he needs to wear a bushel around his neck like a horse, full of apples!

The recipe looks delicious!

Madam Tai Tai Again said...

Apple crumble with loads of custard sauce is my favourite dessert all time. When I was living with a foster family in the UK, that would be the dessert that I wished my foster mum would make for Sunday lunch.

Thanks for the recipe! Yummy!

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Kika dear,
You have a nice weekend too. purrr....meow!

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Aunty Caren,
Bushel around his neck? Hmmm....you'regiving me ideas. What if I do that to Brad? har har har
Go ahead. Make the crumble. It's finger lickin' good...purrr....meow!

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Aunty Gina,
Aahhh...custard sauce....oh dear...the keyboard is wet now. That's why I post this entry today so you could make it for tomorrow's lunch. Purrrlease share with my darling Esteban, OK? purrrr.....meow!

Unknown said...

Ohhhhh can you please send some to Penang :-)??? Looks yummilicious!!

I *heart* apples too!

Great pics!

Thanks for sharing.

Salam

Monyet King said...

Ooooh, I like. I am hopping onto a plane right now and come a grab a piece of that apple crumble. BTW, can you also make a banana crumble for me ?

meowwmania said...

waaa shedap nyerrr....

nak buat malas, g mekdi jelah beli apple pie huhuu

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Aunty Paula,
Come on over instead. We don't trust Pos Malaysia. May end up in someone else's tummy.... purrr....meow!

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Your Highness,
If I could get my paws on some pisang rastali....can't make crumble with cavendish. Too sweet. Perhaps we can make banana smoothies with oats for you...yummm... purrr....meow!

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Meowwmania,
We love apple strudels too. McD apple pie? Tak aci! purrr....meow!

Anonymous said...

You mean.. it is THAT simple to make Apple Crumble. Aduhai! to think that I pay a handsome sum at the resto just to get my apple crumble kick. *ish ish*

P.S: What else can I use instead of almond meal?

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Andrea dear,
Har har har ...crumble kick at restaurants? Oh...you poor thing. If you're not gluten intolerance, you can use plain flour instead of almond meal. Or perhaps wheatgerm? Hazelnut is a good option too. Happy baking! purrr....meow!

Pat said...

Wah, that apple crumble looks delicious! So, did you have it with ice-cream? I like mine with custard cream ;)

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Aunty Pat,
I always have mine with ice cream...the creamier the better....yummm....custard cream can't really lift me off. purrr....meow!

Cheqna said...

mmm...why wasn't this made when I had lunch at your mama's place?

:-)

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Cheqna,
Coz she made the moist chocolate cake instead. har har har....purrrr.....meow!

Angie, Catladyland said...

I love apples too!!! I love anything baked with yummy apples and brown sugar :)

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Angie dear,
Now...now...calm down...if only you live in the next suburb and not thousands of miles away....purrr....meow!

lupie said...

Wow! Didn't know this Meowmmy can bake!

Our Meowmmy is hopeless!
Even our Pawpa say so.
She tried bread once, it was hard like stone and she blamed the oven.
Oh that woman!

Love, Lucky & Co.

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Lucky,
Stop complaining. As long as she gives you TLC, it doesn't matter if she can't bake, OK? purrrr....meow!

i amsterdam said...

Hei...apple crumble is on my menu list for dinner tomorrow!! We are having some guests and I thought of impressing them with my newly acquired apple crumble recipe plus smoked mackerel and air asam - the menu for cats huh..

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Mother of Ilham,
Holy Mackerel! No otak-otak? purrr....meow!

mokja said...

Dell : My kakak is going there end of this month.Care to pack some non greased Aust. apples fresh from the tree for me....gggggrrrrrlease.Sorry I cant quite well pronounce pppplease.

by the way,the word verification says..sedgenc...macam segan.Cancel sajalah .

~CovertOperations78~ said...

You must be one healthy kitty then, with all the apples you have had! I like them raw, sliced and with a bit of lemon juice squeezed over them. Apple crumble is lovely. Thank you for the recipe. I love Bulla low-fat vanilla ice cream too. I put peach slices in them.

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Dell, tell your kakak, apple season will be in late January. So, sorry. No tree-ripened apples yet. purrr....meow!

Cat-from-Sydney said...

CO78,
You know...an apple a day keeps the doctor away... purrr....meow!

TK said...

I love Royal Gala...
I wanna see photos at the orchard...a perfect place to practice photography.
Pegilah ambik gambar and share the photos with us!

Cat-from-Sydney said...

TK Sensei,
I've written about the orchards in March this year. Check out: http://catinsydney.blogspot.com/2010/03/apple-day.html
purrr.....meow!

Sandy said...

this looks soooo yummy ! I'm hungry ><, Angelina is such a lucky cat , she gets all the yummy treats all the time

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Tante Sandy,
You want some too? Let's go apple picking. purrr...meow!