As Simple As Apple Pie

The end of the year like this is the perfect time to slow things down a bit. Looking back to what we have done, instead of looking forward to what we want to do. Be grateful for how far we have gone, instead of worrying of how far more we can go. Grab a cup of hot chocolate and cuddle up on the sofa. With a good book, favorite TV program, the loved ones, maybe a simple sweet nibble, life couldn’t be more satisfying.

The other day I kept left over apple filling from the last private baking class I taught. It was a cold and windy day and I needed something to balance the grey cloudy afternoon. I was exhausted from the last two weeks of nonstop this and that and the fatigue seemed like coming to stay. I opened my freezer and found a stack of filo pastry from.. last year, I guess? Haha. So I took them altogether, the filo and the apple filling, let them come into room temperature and assembled them in a small dish. It turned out to be one hell of an apple pie. And by hell, I mean wonderfully delish.

When you use filo pastry for apple pie, usually an apple strudel will come into your mind. This is just the same, except that it is not *yea, i’m crazy like that*. I didn’t roll the filling inside the filo, I layered them like baklava. That makes them.. what? Layered apple strudle? Apple baklava? No-rolling apple strudle? No-nuts baklava? This is killing me. I’m going back to: apple pie.

What’s best to go with it? I say nothing beats vanilla custard! Yup, homemade vanilla custard you made from scratch, which.. *wait for it*.. I happened to have on hand from the same private class. You can make it thick as cream or a little bit flowing as sauce. It will be just as good. A dollop for a square and you got yourself a world class dessert.

Onto the recipe. Actually this is dead simple it is hardly a recipe. You just layer the filo, brushing with melted butter in betweens, mix the filling and pour, layer the rest of filo, brush the top with yolks, bake. Simple. Right?… No? Ok, here is the recipe.

Pumpkin Pie

 
Actually I baked this about a month ago, haven’t got a chance to post it here until today.
 
What I like about pumpkin is that you can eat it plain right after it’s steamed until tender. It is good the way it is. Naturally sweet, tender, juicy. A ready made pudding presented by the nature! Now I understand why people call their loved ones ‘pumpkin’.
 
I bought almost 1 kilogram of pumpkin, nuked it all until tender, and half of it went into my stomach while baking I just couldn’t help myself.
 
Here is a light version of Pumpkin Pie, recipe by Santap Magazine 11th edition.
O, yeah, it’s good.
 
Pumpkin Pie - Light Version
Recipe by Santap Magazine
 
Crust:
120 g plain crackers biscuit
30 g quick cooking oats
4 Tbsp sugar
8 tsp light olive oil
1/4 cup (65 ml) fresh milk
 

Choux Pastry a.k.a. Kue Sus!

Probably the first and the oldest pastry I know. Classic and always comforting.
The filling is so flexible, you can throw in anything you like. Be it custard or whipped cream -with or without colorful fresh fruits, buttercream or even chicken ragout. As for me, it’s my favorite Napoleon custard alright… Besides I still have some left in my fridge
Dust with powdered sugar on top before serving. Dashing!