An Apostrophe to Apples
"Everyday, have an eating experience to make you feel good to be alive."
Herb Eckhouse- La Quercia (paraphrase)
I was going to make this another installment in my ongoing series, "What is that delicious goop?" but I think that this project is a little too good for that. When you look at the photo above, what do you see? There is Manchego, walnuts, dried apricots: the usual suspects for a cheese plate. But right at the center is something that reminds me of why I love food so much. It's not membrillio, as you would expect. The little bit of amber deliciousness is apple paste.
I had no idea that you could do this with apples. And even as I was trying out the recipe, I didn't quite believe that apples, sugar and heat could create such a warm color, much less that the familiar flavors of apples could deepen and become so unlike themselves. Apple paste is a simple nuance that radically changes something you think you know well. Unlike the membrillo paste you get in a store, that has a fine, but a pretty flat taste, this is lighter on the tongue and, because you make it yourself, you can fiddle with the details to make the result more complex.
Here's how it works. As you read the recipe, remember that the whole thing is scalable, you you can make a vat of it or just a little bit.
Start with 3 lbs of apples. (I prefer to use a variety of apples.) Peel them, core them and cut them into wedges.
While you are doing this, have a pot of water on the stove with enough water to submerge the apples. Add a cup of sugar, a lemon peel and a vanilla bean to the pot and set to a simmer.
Cook the apples in the water until they are slightly softened.
Skim out the wedges and the peel and puree them. Reserve a cup of the liquid.
Measure how much puree you have. Measure out that amount of sugar and combine both in a saucepan. Add the reserved liquid and the vanilla bean (sliced in half). You might also want to add a star anise pod to this as well. (If you have any flavored simple syrup around, you could use that instead. I have some from a quince recipe that adds a twist to the flavor.)
Turn the stove on to a medium to low heat and give the whole concoction a stir frequently to prevent scorching.
The color of the mixture will turn from white to a dark amber and it will also begin to thicken. Once it gets there you're ready. (Be patient with it and allow it to get quite thick.) Transfer it into a baking pan that has been lined with parchment paper. Let it cool then put it in the fridge.
The resulting paste is not just good for the occasional cheese plate. Because it has a subtle, complementary flavor it can be used in tarts (more on that next week) or as filling to other baking projects. Or you could just stand over your sink eating it by the warm mouthful.
Remember the happiness that good food brings to life!