I’ve got alot to cover in 300 words today. So let me start with the five most important words: Apple Gateau from AnneWillan.
There are at least three good reasons you’re seeing those five words today (Apple Gateau from AnneWillan).
The first is. Idid abastardized version of this recipe recently, and it turned out to be rather popular. It may be pumpkin season, but people seem to have apple on the brain. In the post for that confection Imentioned Anne’s Apple Gateau as the genesis for the Apple-Pie Cake that you all seemed to love so much. Iwas first introduced to it through Martha Stewart’s television show in the 1990s. The recipe Ipresent here today is an adaptation of Anne’s original version.
The second reason you’re seeing the original, so soon after Ipresented ashortcut version, is serendipity. Ihappen to have been sent acopy of Anne Willan’s memoir One Soufflé at aTime by her publisher St. Martin’s Press (the very same week Iposted my simplified version of Anne’s Apple Gateau). Istarted reading the book even before the wrapper it came in found its way to the recycling bin. That’s what Icall serendipity. The book chronicles atime when cooks like Julia Child and Anne Willan were introducing Americans to classical French cuisine. The book has recently been re-released in paperback, and it’s aread all cooks willsavor.
Especially my mom. Iwish she’d lived long enough to read this book. Every word in the book reminds me of her. She’s the third reason Ispent 14 hours in the kitchen making Anne’s AppleGateau.
The only way to talk about amemoir Isuppose, is to spill alittle something personal of myown.
I’ve said this before, but the 1970’s were when my own awareness of food began to develop. My mother was afantastic cook. She probably learned most of her skills during this same period and I’d bet that Julia Child, Simone Beck and (yes) Anne Willan were her primary sources of inspiration. While other kids were scarfing down “Tuna Twist”, “Mug-O-Lunch” and “Shake-A-Puddin”, my mom was serving us Bouillabaisse, Duckà la Orange, and Mousse de Foies de Volaille. She even taught my little brother and me how to make perfect little crêpes, so that she could have 2or 3pans going at once for her famous dinner parties.
I’m coming up on abig birthday. It’s not abirthday that ends in azero. But it’s abig one none-the-less. On this birthday Iwill be older than my mother ever was. So you see, this book, those times, and even Anne’s Apple Gateau are woven into the way Ithink about cooking. This style of cooking is not the latest trendy (gluten-free) thing, it’s not fast or always easy, and I’ll admit there are reasons you shouldn’t eat like this everyday, but as Julia Child once said “I was 32 when Istarted cooking; up until then Ijust ate.”
My mother turned 32 in 1972, we moved to Farmington Hills, MI about the same time. My mother got abig suburban version of aFrench kitchen. We had bentwood bistro chairs in apple green; there was aParisian Boulangerie print paper, and real brick on the walls. There was even awood-burning oven (on top of state of the art gas and electric appliances in adeep coppery brown).
My views on the world, our family, even my own self began to develop during these years, through aparticular point of view, heavily influenced by my mother. It wasn’t always easy… whose youth really is? But that point of view, that particular point of view always included family, friends and food. If that’s afeeling you can relate to, you’ll love this book– and you’ll love this Apple Gateau. You won’t even care that it takes you 14 hours to make, or that it took me more than 600 words to explain why you should. GREG
Expand Recipe…
Apple Gateau from AnneWillan
By: GregHenry
Print ThisRecipeTotal time Yield 8–10Source Adapted from Anne WillanPublished
You may serve the gateau as is, or garnished with yogurt, crème anglaise or caramel sauce.
Ingredients
- butter (as needed)
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 6 ½pound tart apples (such as Granny Smith)
Directions
Heat oven to 175 degrees F. Generously butter a1 ½‑quart straight-sided souffle dish and awide strip of parchment paper to form acollar extending at least 3inches above the rim of the dish. Press the buttered side of the collar against the inside of the dish. Chill until butter is set and the paper sticks to thedish.
Mix sugar and cinnamon in asmall bowl; setaside.
Peel, halve and core the apples. Cut each half crosswise into very thin slices, no more than 1/8 inch thick, work in batches placing sliced apples into avery large bowl as you work. Afood processor fitted with the slicing blade works very well for this job. Alternately, slice apple halves using amandoline, or achefs knife.
Remove the prepared dish from the refrigerator. Sprinkle bottom of with about ½teaspoon of the sugar mixture. Toss the sliced apples with the remainder until well distributed. Arrange alayer of apple slices in atightly overlapping circular floral pattern in the bottom of the dish. Repeat with at least asecond and third layer of apple running in the opposite directions. This crossed pattern of slices ensures that the cake holds together when unmolded.
Once astable and attractive base is set (remember this will become the top) continue filling the dish with apples that are laid flat, pressing them down as you work to fill as many gaps as possible. Fill the entire dish and all the way up to the extended collar, which should be at least 3inches above the rim. (They will shrink down into the souffle dish during baking.) Cover the top with around of parchment paper. Lay asmall stack of plates slightly smaller than the souffle dish to seal and weigh downapples.
Bake on arimmed baking sheet until apples are much reduced and meltingly soft when pierced with askewer, 12 to 14 hours. Tear off the top of the paper collar, and let cake cool to room temperature.
Carefully unmold gateau onto arimmed or slightly slopped platter and remove parchment. The top should be lightly caramelized with syrupy juice running down thesides.
Slice andserve.
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