SAS Steven's Apple Stack

Ingredients

Pastry
1 cup plain flour
½ cup self-raising flour
¼ cup corn flour
½ cup caster sugar
90g butter, roughly chopped
1 egg yolk
¼ cup iced water


Filling5 medium apples, peeled and sliced
½ cup caster sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind

Coffee cream1 teaspoon instant coffee
300ml thickened cream
1 tablespoon caster sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa, sifted, to decorate
½ cup rose petals, to decorate

Preparation:  40 minutes
Cooking:  25 minutes
Serves: 8

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and baking paper line a baking tray.

2. Place flour, self-raising flour, corn flour and sugar in a food processor and process for ten seconds.  Add butter and egg yolk and process for 10 seconds or until combined. With the motor still running, slowly pour in water until a smooth dough forms. Form dough into a disc and dust with flour, wrap in plastic and place in the refrigerator to rest.

3. For filling, place apples, caster sugar, cinnamon and lemon rind in a large frying pan and toss gently until sugar has dissolved. Cook until apples have softened and are slightly caramelised. Place in the freezer to cool.

4. Divide pastry into two portions and roll on a floured surface to a thickness of 2mm. Slice into even rectangles measuring 7cmx5cm.

5. Space pastry squares 1-2cm apart on prepared baking tray and bake 10-15 minutes or until slightly golden. Allow to cool and dust with icing sugar.

6. For coffee cream, whip coffee, cream and sugar with electric beaters until thickened.

7. To serve, dollop a teaspoon of coffee cream onto a piece of pastry and carefully place slices of cooled apple on top. Repeat to make a stack two layers high. Finish with a third piece of pastry and top with a mint leaf. Smear coffee cream on the plate and decorate with cocoa powder and rose petals.