Harvest apple pie (pate de la batteuse)

A delicious apple pie dessert in the shape of a half moon. Filled with seasonal fruit, it was often associated with harvest time, hence the name, ‘de la battuese’, which refers to a threshing machine.

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

You can also make this with pears or other fruit.

Ingredients

• 450 g bread flour
• 1 tsp dried instant yeast
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 1 ½ tsp table salt
• ¼ cup milk
• 4 eggs
• 250 g unsalted butter

For the filling

• 60 g unsalted butter
• 2 medium granny smith apples, peeled, core removed and roughly chopped
• 2 large pears, peeled, core removed and roughly chopped
• 30 g caster sugar 
• 1 vanilla bean
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• Pinch sea salt

To assemble

• 1 egg, whisked

Chilling time: 2 hours

Instructions

1. Place the flour, yeast, sugar and salt into a bowl of an electric mixer with a dough hook attached. Mix the flour to combine the ingredients.
2. In a jug, place the milk and eggs and whisk to combine. Pour the egg mixture into the flour and mix with the dough hook on medium speed. Mix until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Add about a third of the butter and mix to combine, once it is emulsified add the next third of the butter. Repeat until all the butter is worked in. Avoid over-kneading as dough can split if it gets too hot. Line a tray with plastic wrap on the bottom of the tray. Place the dough onto the plastic wrap, cover with another sheet of plastic wrap and press down to flatten the dough. Place into the refrigerator for about 2 hours or until completely cold and set. Meanwhile, move onto making the filling.
3. Place a pot on medium heat, add the butter and melt. Once foaming, add the apples, pears, sugar vanilla bean and cinnamon and mix well the combine. Place a lid on top and steam for about 5 minutes, remove the lid to stir occasionally. Once the apples and pears have started to break down, continue to cook until almost completely soft and no excess moisture remains. Add the sea salt and remove the vanilla bean, place the mixture onto a plate and refrigerate until cold.
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
5. Once the brioche is completely cold and set, place it onto a lightly floured bench top. Roll the dough into a circle approximately 30 cm. Place it onto a parchment-lined baking tray. Place the apple and pear mixture onto the dough and spread to coat to make a semi-circle leaving a 1-inch border. Brush the edge with egg, fold the dough over to seal the edges, and fold and pinch the edge. Brush the entire pastry with egg wash, using a knife cut 3 slits into the top to allow the steam to escape when baking.
6. Once the oven is pre-heated, place in the pastry and bake until golden brown and the dough is completely cooked, about 20 minutes.
7. Remove and allow to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving hot or at room temperature.

 

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

You can also make this with pears or other fruit.