Lacy Brandy Snaps with Apple Crumble

Total Time:

50 mins

Serves:

Makes 12

This is an "at home" version of Crystelle's recipe, reconstructed to make it easy and affordable for home bakers.

Ingredients

BRANDY SNAP BASKETS
2 ounces salted European butter
2 ounces soft light brown sugar
3 tablespoons golden syrup
2 ounces plain flour
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

APPLE FILLING
2 ounces unsalted butter
1 ounce soft light brown sugar
2 large cooking apples, peeled and diced into 1 cm cubes
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1.5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

CRUMBLE
1 ounce flour
1/2 ounce caster sugar
1/2 ounce butter
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Heat the oven to 350°F

BRANDY SNAPS
Melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a pan over a low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour.
Mix to a smooth paste, then stir in the lemon juice.
Tip the mixture onto one of the lined baking sheets and leave it to cool until solid (about 15–20 minutes).


APPLE FILLING
Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat for about 5 minutes, until browned.
Add the sugar and stir to incorporate.
Tip in the apples, and add the cinnamon and apple cider vinegar. Stir to coat in the butter and sugar, then cook over a low heat for 6–8 minutes, until the apples have softened. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

CRUMBLE
Mix the caster sugar, flour, salt and butter and blend with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Don't let the butter get near the palms of your hands.
Tip the mixture onto a baking sheet and bake for 15–20 minutes, until lightly golden and slightly crisp. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
Divide the brandy-snap mixture into 12 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Place 6 balls on the remaining lined baking sheet, spacing them well apart. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until lacy. Immediately remove from the oven and cut out 12 neat circles using the cutter. Leave the brandy-snap discs to rest for no more than 1 minute, just until they are cool enough to handle but still pliable.
One by one, mould each brand-snap disc around the outside of a tartlet case. If the brandy snap discs get too cold to mould, put them in the oven for a minute to soften a little. Once you’ve moulded 6 cases, leave them to harden while you repeat with the remaining 6 balls of brandy-snap mixture. Remove the hardened baskets from the tart cases and repeat the actions for the final 6 circles to give 12 brandy snap baskets altogether.


Assemble the brandy snaps.
Sprinkle a teaspoon of the crumble into the base of each basket. Spoon a generous teaspoon of the apple filling on top of the crumble. Sprinkle a little more of the crumble over the top. Serve at once.