Treat For Fall – Irish Apple Tart

World Food Day is celebrated on 16th October each year to bring attention to the issues that cause hunger and poverty across the globe, on the anniversary of the foundation of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Events have been held around the world to mark the occasion every year since 1981.

“Grow, nourish, sustain. Together”. 

This year the World Food Day 2020 theme is “Grow, nourish, sustain. Together” – Our actions are our future & food is the essence of life! It shapes our health & well being, our culture, our environment and our lives.  The food, the producers, the landscape, the farmers, the people are the key ingredients for us all to “Grow, nourish, sustain. Together”. 

Specialized Travel Services work with suppliers who choose quality, locally-produced & seasonal foods and we support small local shops and farmers. Farmers and workers throughout the food system are making sure that food makes its way from farm to fork, even amid disruptions as unprecedented as the current COVID-19 crisis.

In addition to caring for their animals and looking after their crops, farmers also have a responsibility to care for and protect the Irish landscape. Farmers are caretakers of the countryside, working to keep our environment safe, clean and green and to conserve the natural habitats that exist in Irish fields, hedgerows and rivers. On your next visit to Ireland make sure to visit a farmers markets to pick up some fresh food straight from the farm or you could also immerse yourself further into Irish Culture and heritage with a visit to a local farm.

Two special markets in Ireland, though, have to be the English Market in Cork and St George’s Market in Belfast City, which have both been serving organic goods for centuries. You could also make a stop at the orchard county of Armagh, the home of the Bramley Apple, which has European Commission for PGI (Protected Geographical Indication), and learn how to make your own cider and juice.

Treat For Fall – Irish Apple Tart

To celebrate World Food Day and our passion for Irish Food, we’d like to share the following tasty Irish recipe –

As its Fall & Harvest time, apples are plentiful at this time of year and many of us have rekindled our appreciation for home baking over the past few months, there’s nothing quite as tasty & as comforting as a mouthwatering Homemade Irish Apple Tart, served with custard or cream. It’s definitely an Irish family favourite dessert.

Sink your teeth into this short video with the steps involved in making an Irish Apple Tart – A tasty treat for Fall – and then put on your apron and have a go.

Ingredients: 

225g Plain flour

125g butter

75g caster sugar

6 tbsp cold water

4 Large Cooking Apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons of Cornflour

1 small free range egg, beaten

Softly whipped cream or custard or Ice Cream, to serve. 

You’ll Also Need: 

Cook Time: 

25-35 mins

Tasty Tips: 

Make sure you use cold butter and you can even chill the flour too if you like. This will create a really nice short pastry.

Make sure you prod the pastry before cooking to allow steam to escape so you don’t have soggy pastry.

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160 ̊C/325 ̊F/gas mark 3 and grease a 23cm ovenproof plate.
2. Place the flour in a large bowl and rub the butter into the flour and toss through 25g of the sugar. Add six tablespoons of cold water, bring the dough together using a cold knife to create a soft dough.
3. Roll out half the pastry to the size of the plate and lay across.
4. Toss the apple slices in cornflour and arrange them over the pastry leaving a 2cm diameter around the outside edge. Sprinkle the remaining 50g of sugar over the apples.
5. Roll the remaining pastry a little wider than the plate, dampen the edges of the pastry which is on the plate and place the second piece across the top of the apples. Seal the edges using a knife or fork. Hold the plate with one hand and using your other trim any excess pastry from the rim of the dish using a knife.
6. Prod the top of pastry with a fork to allow the steam to release or cut four slits into the pastry near the centre, but not joining. Brush the pastry with the egg wash to create a golden crust.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until the pastry is nice and golden brown and the apples have softened.

Passionate about Good Food? 

Our qualified team at Specialized Travel Services can arrange your very own Taste of Ireland – We can incorporate luxury vehicles, local guides, fantastic food trails, Irish Whiskey tours, cookery demonstrations and fine dining to match your taste and interests.

Whether you choose a private chauffeur guided tour, or specialized self-drive itinerary, or some family foodie fun reunions, we can put together a unique Taste of Ireland Culinary adventure customized just for you, your family and your friends.

For your perfect private gourmet travel experience around the Emerald Isle in 2021 or for more information contact Specialized Travel Services by sending us an email to newyork@jeremyd50.sg-host.com or complete our contact form. 

Get a flavor of what we can arrange for you by sampling one of our culinary tours – Fresh, mouth watering flavours, passionate suppliers and authentic traditions handed down through generations – Why not get tucked in and come and experience Ireland’s food for yourself – and make sure to be watchful of food waste along the way!

Note: Featured image at the top of the blog is from “Catherine’s Apple Tart” on Virgin Media Television/Ireland AM. © https://www.virginmediatelevision.ie/shows/irelandam/article/1.65.1482.1484/294929/Catherines-Apple-Tart