Ingredients:

Directions:

It's been a while since I baked apple pie.  And the other day, I went to McDonald's and got their apple pie on a rainy day -- Ummmm... I forgot how I miss the cinnamon & nutmeg aroma and the gooey juice of the apple.  So I decided to make one today, since it was cold out and thus perfect weather to bake a pie :D


After lots of trial on recipes, I settle for this one -- which is going to to be my go-to recipe from now on.
The recipe makes two 9" pie crusts, or one 9" covered pie crust.

INGREDIENTS

For the crust 

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter,  cubed
1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon iced water (add 1 tablespoon at a time as needed)

Directions

• Using a rubber spatula, thoroughly mix the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
• Cut the butter into small cubes, then add to the flour mixture and cut vigorously with a pastry blender or two knives. Work as fast as you can so the butter doesn't melt.  As you work, periodically stir dry flour up from the bottom of the bowl and scrape clinging fat off the pastry blender or knives until the butter become pea-sized pieces; the rest of the flour should be reduced to the consistency of coarse crumbs or corn-meal.  The mixture should seem dry and powdery and not pasty or greasy.

• Drizzle over the flour and fat mixture the ice water.

• Using the rubber spatula, cut with the blade side until the mixture looks evenly moistened and begins to form small balls.  Press down on the dough with the flat side of the spatula.  If the balls of dough stick together, you have added enough water; if they do not, drizzle over the top 1-2 tablespoons ice water.

• Cut in the water, again using the blade of the spatula, then press with your hands until the dough coheres.  The dough should look rough, not smooth.  Divide the dough in half, press each half into a round flat disk, and wrap tightly in plastic.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and preferably for several hours, or for up to 2 days before rolling.  (The dough can also be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 6 months; thaw completely before rolling. - If you need help with rolling out the dough, click here).

• While preparing the filling and rolling out the dough, preheat the oven to 350°F

This year, we didn't have so many apples from our tree and I was busy baking other things and haven't had a chance to bake any pies or galettes.  Maybe the fact that it hasn't got cold till now is another reason.

So today, I'm craving some and started looking in my blogs for the recipe but found that I didn't write it down, so here it is -- so next time I can find it more easily :D -- This photo was the galette I baked a few years ago.  The recipe came from Too Much Food with the original recipe from Smitten Kitchen that I got from Rachel Chew's video below.

Ingredients:

For the dough:
1 cup (120 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3 oz., or 84 g) unsalted butter, frozen, cut into 1/2″ pieces
3 1/2 tablespoons chilled water

For the filling:
2 pounds apples, peeled, cored and sliced (save the peels and cores)
3 tablespoons sugar
  1 Tablespoon turbinado sugar to sprinkle on top of the crust (optional)

For the glaze:
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  Apple peel and cores

Directions:

1. Make the dough first: sift together the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the frozen butter cubes with your preferred method of choice; I used a pastry blender, then my fingertips (though a food processor or two knives would work just as well). Make sure that you do this rather quickly, you want to keep the butter as cold as possible to insure a light, flaky pastry dough. No need to blitz the heck out of the butter; just cut it in until the biggest pieces are about the size of large peas.
2. Add the chilled water one tablespoon at a time, stirring with your other hand, just until the dough just holds together (you might not need all the water, depending on your flour and the humidity of your kitchen). Dump the dough out on a mat and pat into a circle about 1.5″ inches thick. Double-wrap it in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 days).
3. After the chilling period, take the dough out and let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes; this allows the dough to soften slightly so that when you roll it out, it doesn’t break into a million pieces on you (trust me this has happened to me and it’s not fun nor pretty). Roll out the dough on a lightly floured mat into a 14″ circle, about 1/8″ thick. Using a pastry brush, dust off the excess flour. Carefully transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
4. Preheat the oven to 400 F (205 C).
5. To fill the tart, overlap the sliced apples on top of the dough in a ring 2 inches from the edge and continue towards the center. To complete the tart, fold over the edges of the dough. It doesn’t have to look perfect, the beauty of a galette lies in its rusticity.
6. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar over the dough edge and 2 tablespoons of sugar over the apples. Use more or less sugar to your preference.
7. Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven and bake the galette for 45 minutes, or until the apples are soft and have slightly browned edges. Try to rotate the tart every 15 minutes to ensure even browning of the crust.
8. While the tart is baking, you can work on the glaze; place the reserved peels and cores in a large saucepan with the sugar. Pour enough water into the saucepan just so it barely covers the peels and sugar and simmer for 25 minutes. Strain the apple-infused syrup through cheesecloth and set aside. Your kitchen will smell amazing at this point.
9. When the tart is done baking, remove from the oven and slide it (parchment and all) off the baking sheet and onto a cooling rack. Let it cool for at least 20 minutes before brushing glaze over the tart.
10. Slice and serve immediately, alone or alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you’re feeling decadent.

the apple galette from rachelchew on Vimeo

My most vivid memory of the things I learned during the 4 years of French literature has been these "petites madeleines" from Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time or À la recherche du temps perdu.  The most quoted passage is this one.

..No sooner had the warm liquid mixed with the crumbs touched my palate than a shudder ran through me and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary thing that was happening to me. An exquisite pleasure had invaded my senses, something isolated, detached, with no suggestion of its origin. And at once the vicissitudes of life had become indifferent to me, its disasters innocuous, its brevity illusory – this new sensation having had on me the effect which love has of filling me with a precious essence; or rather this essence was not in me it was me. ... Whence did it come? What did it mean? How could I seize and apprehend it? ... And suddenly the memory revealed itself. The taste was that of the little piece of madeleine which on Sunday mornings at Combray (because on those mornings I did not go out before mass), when I went to say good morning to her in her bedroom, my aunt Léonie used to give me, dipping it first in her own cup of tea or tisane. The sight of the little madeleine had recalled nothing to my mind before I tasted it. And all from my cup of tea...wikipedia

And I'd like to also note the French version -- for old times sake ;)

Il y avait déjà bien des années que, de Combray, tout ce qui n’était pas le théâtre et le drame de mon coucher n’existait plus pour moi, quand un jour d’hiver, comme je rentrais à la maison, ma mère, voyant que j’avais froid, me proposa de me faire prendre, contre mon habitude, un peu de thé. Je refusai d’abord et, je ne sais pourquoi, je me ravisai. Elle envoya chercher un de ces gâteaux courts et dodus appelés Petites Madeleines qui semblaient avoir été moulés dans la valve rainurée d’une coquille de Saint-Jacques. Et bientôt, machinalement, accablé par la morne journée et la perspective d’un triste lendemain, je portai à mes lèvres une cuillerée du thé où j’avais laissé s’amollir un morceau de madeleine. Mais à l’instant même où la gorgée mêlée des miettes du gâteau toucha mon palais, je tressaillis, attentif à ce qui se passait d’extraordinaire en moi. Un plaisir délicieux m’avait envahi, isolé, sans la notion de sa cause. Il m’avait aussitôt rendu les vicissitudes de la vie indifférentes, ses désastres inoffensifs, sa brièveté illusoire, de la même façon qu’opère l’amour, en me remplissant d’une essence précieuse : ou plutôt cette essence n’était pas en moi, elle était moi. J’avais cessé de me sentir médiocre, contingent, mortel. D’où avait pu me venir cette puissante joie ? Je sentais qu’elle était liée au goût du thé et du gâteau, mais qu’elle le dépassait infiniment, ne devait pas être de même nature. D’où venait-elle ? Que signifiait-elle ? Où l’appréhender ? Je bois une seconde gorgée où je ne trouve rien de plus que dans la première, une troisième qui m’apporte un peu moins que la seconde. Il est temps que je m’arrête, la vertu du breuvage semble diminuer. Il est clair que la vérité que je cherche n’est pas en lui, mais en moi. Il l’y a éveillée, mais ne la connaît pas, et ne peut que répéter indéfiniment, avec de moins en moins de force, ce même témoignage que je ne sais pas interpréter et que je veux au moins pouvoir lui redemander et retrouver intact à ma disposition, tout à l’heure, pour un éclaircissement décisif. Je pose la tasse et me tourne vers mon esprit. C’est à lui de trouver la vérité. Mais comment ? Grave incertitude, toutes les fois que l’esprit se sent dépassé par lui-même ; quand lui, le chercheur, est tout ensemble le pays obscur où il doit chercher et où tout son bagage ne lui sera de rien. Chercher ? pas seulement : créer. Il est en face de quelque chose qui n’est pas encore et que seul il peut réaliser, puis faire entrer dans sa lumière. Du côté de chez Swann

 Anyway, I digress.

So, since the first time I tasted these heavenly scalloped-shaped cakes, I fell absolutely in love and they have been my favorite throughout the years.  Only until recently, that I mustered enough courage to even attempt to make them and I've been trying out several recipes (How to Make Classic French Madeleines by The Kitchn; Joyofcooking.com; and A Real Madeleine by Annemarie Conte), and finally came up with my adjustment that I like best.  So here goes...

My Classic Madeleines

(Makes about 24 - 28 Madeleines)

Ingredients:

160 g. of unsalted butter (1 stick and 3 Tbsp) melted and kept warm
2 large eggs at room temperature
2/3 cup white sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour +1 Tbsp, divided
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp lemon zest

Instructions:

1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and then keep it warm.

2. In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

3. In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the eggs and sugars with the paddle attachment at high speed until the mixture is thick and pale in color (about 5-8 minutes).


Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest (if using).

Then sift about one-third of the flour mixture over the whipped eggs and gently fold in, using a rubber spatula or whisk. Sift and fold in half of the remaining flour, and then sift and fold in the rest. (Do not over mix or the batter will deflate).



4. Then take about 1 cup (240 ml) of the batter and fold it into the warm melted butter. (This lightens the butter making it easier to fold into the batter.)



Then, with a spatula, gently fold the butter mixture completely into the egg batter.



Cover and refrigerate the batter overnight (can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days).



5. Prep the pans using a pastry brush, generously grease the molds of two - 12 - 3 1/2 inch (8.5 cm) Madeleine pans (preferably non stick) with very soft or melted butter. (Make sure the pans are well greased or the Madeleines will stick and be hard to remove.)



Then dust the molds with flour.


 Tap out the excess flour.


Freeze the pans overnight.

6. When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Drop a generous tablespoonful (can use an ice cream scoop) of the batter into the center of each prepared mold, leaving the batter mounded in the center. (This will result in the classic "humped or domed" appearance of the Madeleines.) - Do not over-fill the mold or madeleines will become flat.



7. Bake the Madeleines for about 8 - to 11 minutes. Check after 6-8 minutes and rotate pans (left to right, front to back).


Bake until the edges are golden brown and the centers spring back when lightly touched. (Do not overbake these cookies or they will be dry.)



8. Remove the pans from the oven and immediately tap each pan against the counter to release the Madeleines.



Place Madeleines on a wire rack to cool.



Best served immediately but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days or frozen for up to 1 month. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Adapted from the recipe by www.minimalistbaker.com

INGREDIENTS
1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) instant/fast acting yeast
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, divided
1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar, divided
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup mashed ripe banana
2 3/4 - 3 1/4 cups flour (I used a ratio of 2/3 unbleached all purpose, 1/3 whole wheat flour)
1/2 - 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup raw walnuts or pecans, crushed (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large mixing bowl, heat the milk and 3 Tbsp butter in the microwave in 30 sec increments until warm and melted (never reaching boiling). Let cool to 110 degrees, or the temperature of bath water. It should be warm but not too hot or it will kill the yeast.  
2. Sprinkle on yeast and let activate for 10 minutes. 
3. Then add 1 Tbsp sugar, salt and stir. 
4. Next add in 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana and stir.
5. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring as you go. The dough will be sticky. When it is too thick to stir, transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for a minute or so, adding flour as needed, until it forms a loose but still springy ball. Only use as much flour as it will take.
6. Rinse out your mixing bowl, coat it with canola or olive oil, and add your dough ball back in seam side down. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
   
   
7. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a long rectangle ~1/4 inch thick. Brush with 1/4 cup melted butter and top with 1/3 cup sugar (I used a little brown sugar mixed in with the cane sugar) and 1/2 - 1 Tbsp cinnamon (up to preference). Then add walnuts or pecan.
8. Slowly and tightly roll up the dough and situate seam side down. With a serrated knife or a string of floss, cut the dough into 1.5 - 2 inch sections and position in a well-buttered 8x8 square or comparable sized round pan (you should have about 10 rolls). 
9. Brush with remaining 1 Tbsp melted butter and sprinkle with a bit more sugar (brown or cane) and remaining walnuts.
10. Cover with plastic wrap and set on top of the oven to let rise again while you preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
11. Once the oven is hot, bake rolls for 28-35 minutes (mine took 40 minutes) or until slightly golden brown. 
12. Let cool for a few minutes, then serve warm.

ทาเนย กับ glaze ด้วยน้ำเชื่อม หรือแยม ตามใจชอบ หรือจะ ทาด้วย glaze แบบหวานเหมือนที่เค้าขายก็ได้

*For a simple glaze, melt 1 Tbsp butter and add to ~2 - 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar. Mix and gradually thin with milk 1 tsp at a time until pourable but still thick.

อัลมอนด์บดละเอียด หรือ แป้งอเนกประสงค์ 1ถ้วย
ไข่ 2 ฟอง
เกลือนิดหน่อย
น้ำ 1/4ถ้วย
น้ำเชื่อม 1 ช้อนโต๊ะ (ไม่มีไม่ใส่ก็ได้)

คนให้เข้ากัน

ตั้งกระทะเหล็ก (cast iron pan) ทาน้ำมันนิดหน่อย. หยอดแป้งลงไป รอให้มันเป็นฟองอากาศรูๆ และขอบสุกนิดนึง (3-5 นาที) กลับ ทอดต่ออีหน่อยพอสุก ตักใส่จาน (ถ้ามีเตาอบ เปิดเตาอบอุ่นๆ เอาจานเข้าไปไว้ในคู้ระหว่างทำป้งที่เหลือ)

เสร็จแล้วทานกับน้ำผึ้ง หรือน้ำเชื่อมตามชอบ

ประยุกต์มาจากสูตรที่เจอในครัวไกลบ้านค่ะ อร่อยเลิศ และง่ายมาก

ส่วนผสม

ปลาทูน่าในน้ำ  1 กระป๋อง เทน้ำออก (ถ้าชอบไม่ข้นมาก ลดปลาลง)
น้ำพริกแกงแดง 1 ช้อนทานข้าว
กระชาย 1/3 ถ้วย (ใส่เยอะเพราะชอบค่ะ ไม่ชอบก็ใส่น้อยลง)
น้ำปลาร้า หรือ น้ำปลา 1 - 2 ช้อนโต๊ะ หรือตามชอบ
กะทิ 1 กระป๋อง
ขนมจีน แบบแห้ง 1 ถุง
ผักเคียง ตามชอบ เช่น ถั่วฝักยาว ถั่วงอก โหระพา

วิธีทำ

1. ถ้าใช้ขนมจีนแบบแห้ง ต้มขนมจีนก่อน โดย ต้มน้ำให้เดือด แล้วใส่เส้นลงไป หมั่นคน พอสุก เทน้ำออก แล้วล้างด้วยน้ำเย็น จับให้เป็นจับ พักไว้ (ถ้าอยากให้มีสีสัน อย่างสีชมพูในภาพ ก็เอา น้ำจากหัวบีทรูทที่เวลาเราหั่นแล้วน้ำสีแดงติดมือมา ขยำขนมจีนเบาๆ ก็จะได้สีน่าทาน)
2. นำเครื่องแกง ปลาทูน่า และกระชาย ไปปั่นให้ละเอียด
3. แล้วนำไปผัดกับหัวกะทิให้หอม
4. เติมหางกะทิลงไป ตั้งให้เดือดแล้วหรี่ไฟ ต้มต่อจนเริ่มแตกมันนิดหน่อย
5. ปรุงรสด้วยน้ำปลาร้า หรือน้ำปลา 
6. ทานกับขนมจีน กับผักสด หรือลวก ตามชอบ