Champagne pastry has a light cake like texture due to the addition of self raising flour and cornflour. The spiced apples and champagne pastry make a wonderful light slice for afternoon tea.

Spiced Apple Slice with Champagne Pastry

Ingredients:

Apple Filling:

• 4 large Granny Smith apples, cored and sliced thinly
• 285 mls water (10 fl oz)
• 1 Tsp ground cinnamon
• 4 whole cloves
• 1/4 cup sugar

Champagne Pastry:

• 185 g cold butter , cut into 1 cm cubes
• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• 3/4 cup self raising flour
• 1/3 cup cornflour
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 cup milk, and some extra for glazing
• Cinnamon sugar made with 1 1/2 Tblsp of sugar and 1/2 tsp of cinnamon

Method:

Apple Filling:

1. First make a syrup
2. In a large saucepan, place water, sugar, cinnamon and cloves
3. Bring to the boil and stir till the sugar is melted
4. Add the apple slices stirring well to cover the slices with the syrup
5. Bring to the boil and then lower the heat to simmer
6. Cook for 20 minutes
7. Stir the apples to break them up
8. Set aside to cool then place in the fridge for 30 minutes

Champagne Pastry:

1. Sift the self raising flour, plain flour and cornflour together
2. Use a food processor or make by hand (If making by hand chill the ingredients in the fridge and grate the butter)
3. Place the sugar and the butter into the processor
4. Cream the butter and the sugar
5. Add the egg yolk
6. Add the dry ingredients and process till combined
7. Add sufficient milk until the mixture becomes crumbly
8. Remove all from the bowl, divide in half and replace half into the processor bowl
9. Add enough cold milk for the pastry to form a ball
10. Cover the pastry ball with cling wrap and repeat with the other half
11. Set the two pastry balls in the fridge for 30 minutes

Making the Apple Slice:

1. Pre heat oven to 210ºC F and place a heavy baking tray onto the middle shelf
2. Line a 30cm x 20cm slice tray with baking paper
3. When the pastry is chilled and the apple filling is cold make up the slice
4. Roll out each pastry ball between layers of cling wrap to form a rectangle to fit the slice tray
5. Place the first rectangle of champagne pastry onto the baking paper lined tray
6. Leaving 1 cm around the border, spoon some of the apple filling across the pastry
7. Cover with the second rectangle of pastry by removing one layer of cling wrap and using the cling wrap to gently position the pastry over the top
8. Gently press the sides of the pastry together to seal the edges all around the slice
9. Glaze the top by brushing with milk and sprinkle over with prepared cinnamon sugar
10. Place the slice tray onto the hot baking tray in the pre heated oven
11. Bake for 15 minutes
12. Reduce to 180ºC and bake for  a further 35 minutes or until the pastry is well browned
13. When cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes in the tray
14. When cooled remove to a cooling rack
15. Serve hot or cold by cutting into slices
16. Enjoy the delicate texture of this slice with tea or coffee and a good dollop of double cream