Eagle-eyed readers of this blog may remember that this apple dessert was originally supposed to be an apple and almond galette. That's what I put on the menu on Saturday night, and that's what I could see in my mind's eye. I planned to make a nice buttery dough, roll it out thinly, sprinkle its surface liberally with ground almonds to absorb the apple juices during cooking so that this would form a kind of faux frangipane. Atop that were to be thinly cut apple slices, beautifully arranged in a nice pattern and slicked with lavender butter, for a gorgeous, rustic, caramelized end result.
By Sunday afternoon, when I should have been putting the galette in the oven, I was less enthusiastic about it. I am not happy when dessert making the way I am happy when cooking, and I kept on procrastinating. Still, I needed a dessert, and I needed a dessert for dinner for a non-dessert eater. I had a beautiful Epoisses that was practically walking off the counter on its own, a lovely crusty baguette, and two partially drunk bottles of red on the counter, and I thought how great red wine poached pears would taste with the cheese.
So I poached my galette apples in mulled wine instead, and I am glad that I did. Visually this is a perfect October dessert since it looks suitable for Halloween and it tastes absolutely sublime. The apples confit in the wine without collapsing yet become meltingly tender and juicy, not to mention mulled wine spiced.
We cut slices of our individual apples, layered them onto the crusty bread, and drizzled these mini tartines with the near liquid cheese. We continued to do so like automatons until no apple, cheese, or crusty bread remained. Now that is what I call a successful dessert.
4 firm apples, peeled and cored
1/2 bottle dry red wine
1/2 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
10 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
Place the wine, sugar and spices in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Let boil for 3 minutes of so, then remove the cinnamon stick and the bay leaf and add the apples to the pan. Cover, lower the heat to medium-low and cook the apples for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, gingerly turn the apples over using tongs and a spoon to keep from squashing them. Cover again and cook for an additional 7 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let the apples cool in the red wine.
Once cool remove the apples to the dish/dishes in which you plan on serving them.
Pass the liquid through a sieve to remove the remaining spices. Pour the liquid back in the pan.
Turn the heat to medium and bring the remaining wine to a boil. Allow to boil away until reduced by half and the wine becomes thick and syrupy. This will only take a couple of minutes.
Allow to cool and then spoon the thick syrup into the center of the apples where the cores once were.
You could serve this as I did with cheese, but it would also taste good topped with vanilla ice cream or even some plain Greek yogurt and a sprinkling of granola.
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