Lucy Corkhill

By Lucy Corkhill

05th February 2013

You have a whole week to celebrate the delicious and nutritious Bramley apple from 3- 9 Feb – get started with these three great recipes for pies, muffins and a veggie main dish. Bramley apples are only grown in Britain, making them something of a national treasure.

Lucy Corkhill

By Lucy Corkhill

05th February 2013

Lucy Corkhill

By Lucy Corkhill

05th February 2013

Delicious simply stewed with a little honey and served over yoghurt for breakfast, cored and baked, or added to a more elaborate recipe, these versatile green globes are also packed with nutrition. Bramleys are a powerful source of antioxidants, including polyphenols, flavonoids, and vitamin C, plus dietary fibre. Diets high in fibre help heart health. The antioxidant levels of apples have been linked to the prevention of cancers and Bramleys were traditionally used as a remedy for diarrhoea. It seems there’s plenty of truth in the old adage; an apple a day keeps the doctor away!

All of the following recipes are from www.bramleyapples.co.uk – visit the website for more:

BRAMLEY APPLE AND BLACKBERRY PIE
Got some blackberries in the freezer from an Autumn forage? Use them up in this delicious home-cooked favourite and become everyone’s favourite parent!
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves: 6
Ingredients
75g golden granulated sugar, plus 1tsp extra
1tsp mixed spice
1tbsp plain white flour, plus a little extra for rolling out
Grated rind and juice of 1 orange
650g Bramley apples
150g blackberries
350g sweet shortcrust pastry
1 medium egg, beaten

1 Preheat the oven to 200ºC (180ºC fan oven) gas mark 6. Mix together the sugar, spice, flour and orange zest.
2 Peel and core the apples, then cut into thick slices. Put in a bowl and pour over the orange juice.
3 Put half the apple slices and blackberries in the base of a 20cm pie dish and sprinkle with half the sugar mixture. Add the remaining apples and blackberries, then cover with the remaining sugar mixture and pour over any orange juice left in the bowl.
4 Cut off 25g pastry and roll out on a lightly floured board into a thin 1.25cm strip – you can do this in two or three pieces if you like. Dampen the edge of the pie dish with a little water then put the thin strip of pastry along the edge.
5 Roll out the remaining pastry to make a round to fit the top of the pie. Dampen the thin pastry strip with water, then lift up the pie top using the rolling pin and cover the pie. Trim any excess pastry from the edge. Use the prongs of a fork to seal the pastry edges together.
6 Brush the whole of the pie with beaten egg, sprinkle over 1tsp granulated sugar, then cut two holes in the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 180ºC (160C fan oven) gas mark 4 and continue to cook for 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
To serve…Cool for 5min, then serve warm with cream, custard or ice cream.

BRAMLEY APPLE AND FETA BAKED PEPPERS
Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 25-30 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
4 red peppers, halved and deseeded
4tbsp sundried tomato pesto
1 small Bramley apple, around 175g, peeled, cored and chopped
175g cherry tomatoes
25g pitted black olives, sliced
A few basil leaves
100g feta cheese, crumbled
2tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1. Preheat the oven to 220ºC (200ºC fan oven) gas mark 7. Put the peppers in a roasting tin in a single layer. Spoon 1/2tbsp pesto into each pepper half, then divide the apple slices, tomatoes, olives, basil and feta between them.
2. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle with Parmesan and roast for 20-25mins or until the peppers are tender.
To serve…
Put two peppers on each plate, garnish with some rocket or extra basil leaves and serve with crusty bread to mop up any juices.

BRAMLEY, CINAMMON AND WALNUT MUFFINS
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves: 12
Ingredients
300g self-raising flour
2tsp baking powder
1tsp ground cinnamon
75g golden granulated sugar
50g chopped walnuts
2 Bramley apples, around 450g
2 medium eggs
200ml semi-skimmed milk
75g butter, melted and cooled
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (180ºC fan oven) gas mark 6. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with muffin paper cases.
2 Sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon into a bowl, add the sugar and walnuts.
3 Peel and core the apples, then dice and add to the dry ingredients.
4 Beat the eggs and milk together, then add to the bowl with the butter. Use a large metal spoon to quickly fold all the ingredients together. Don’t overmix or beat the mixture or the muffins will have a heavy texture when baked.
5 Spoon the mixture evenly among the paper cases, then bake in the oven for 25minutes until golden and firm. A skewer inserted into the centre will come out clean when they’re ready. Cool on a wire rack before serving warm or cold.

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