Baked Apples In Pastry

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350F (160C fan forced, 175C conventional).

Step 2: Sift the flour, salt and spices into a large bowl.

Step 3: Cut the butter into dice and rub into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs (I would use a food processor on pulse to do this).

Step 4: Mix in enough water to produce a smooth pliable dough.

Step 5: Divide the dough into six pieces and roll out into a square approximately 8 inches.

Step 6: Peel the apples with a sharp knife and carefully remove the centre cores with a apple corer.

Step 7: Chop the prunes and the apricots and mix these with the raisins.

Step 8: Place the prepared apple into the centre of each pastry square, and fill the cavities with equal amounts of the dried fruit mixture.

Step 9: Brush the edges of each square with a little water and draw them up and around the sides of the apples, sealing them well with a little water and trimming off the excess pastry to give a neat finish.

Step 10: Roll out the pastry trimmings =, cut into decorative leaves and stick the leaves onto each apples for decoration.

Step 11: Glaze each pastry apple with the beaten egg and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet.

Step 12: Bake the apples in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Step 13: Serve hot with the fresh cream and sprigs of fresh mint.

Step 14: VARIATION - Use pears instead of apples in the recipe.

Step 15: FREEZING - These apples freeze well after baking and should be thawed and then re-heated before eating.