These are stunners – a mouthful of heavenly puff pastry with yummy confectioner's custard. Just dreamy! Makes 16
75g sugar 375g ready-made all-butter puff pastry (I use Dorset Pastry) For the confectioner’s custard 200ml single cream 1½ tbsp cornflour 2 tbsp sugar ½ tsp vanilla essence 2 egg yolks For the apple purée 2 cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped Juice of 1 lemon 60g sugar 200g raspberries to decorate Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C/Gas Mark 7. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Sprinkle half the sugar over a surface and roll out the pastry into a rectangular shape about 3mm thick. Sprinkle the pastry with the rest of the sugar and press in with the rolling pin. Roll one of the short ends of the pastry into the centre, then roll the other end to meet it. Moisten the touching edges with water, and press together to seal the rolls. Cut along the length of the pastry into 1cm slices and place well apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 mins until golden, then cool on a rack. To make the custard: blend a little of the cream with the cornflour, and stir the mixture into the rest of the cream in a heavy saucepan. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring constantly while it thickens – whisk it if it looks lumpy. Leave to cool. To make the apple purée: place the chopped apples, lemon juice and sugar in a saucepan, cover and cook gently until the apples turn to a pulp. Leave to cool. Often guests like to assemble the cakes at the table. Top each palmier with a thin layer of apple purée, a layer of custard and some raspberres. Place a second palmier on top. |
