British Apples and Pears have partnered with renowned Chef Raymond Blanc to create some delicious, seasonal British apple recipes using the versatile Bramley apple.
From a succulent beef canapes to bite-sized, refreshing Magnum - style treats, these recipes will be sure to impress your guests.
Beef Carpaccio with Bramley Apple Salad Canapes
These small parcels of tender beef carpaccio are filled with chicory and rocket, as well as finely sliced British Bramley apple and celery, with horseradish crème fraîche. If you can’t get hold of chicory and rocket, simply replace with any other salad leaves you have in the fridge.
Makes 15-20 canapés
Prep time: 40 minutes, plus freezing
Cooking time: 5 minutes
For the beef carpaccio:
Ingredients:
- ½ tsp coriander seeds
- ½ tsp Szechuan peppercorns
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
- 2 pinches sea salt
- 1 pinches ground black pepper
- 250g beef fillet, centre cut, trimmed
- ½ tbsp vegetable oil
Method:
- In a medium-sized frying pan, and over a medium-high heat, cook the spices for about 2 minutes, until you can smell them toasting. Pour the spices into a grinder (or use a blender, or pestle and mortar) and grind them to a coarse powder.
- Spread the spice mix, and salt and pepper over a baking tray. Now roll the piece of beef in the tray until the meat is covered in the seasoned spice mix (this is always the best way to evenly season a piece of beef).
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan on a high heat. Sear the beef fillet for about a minute on each side, until golden brown all over.
- Remove the fillet from the pan and allow it to cool for 5 minutes before tightly rolling it in clingfilm. Tie a knot in each end of the cling film and transfer it to the fridge.
- Once the beef is chilled, place it in the freezer and leave it overnight.
- Remove the beef from the freezer, unwrap it, and leave it to stand for 10 minutes. Using a very sharp knife, cut very thin slices of the fillet.
- Lay these rounds on a tray lined with baking parchment and keep them in the fridge until you are ready to build the canapé. This can be done up to 1 hour before serving.
For the horseradish crème fraîche:
Ingredients:
- 20g horseradish sauce
- 30g crème fraîche
- 1 small pinch sea salt
- 1 small pinch cayenne pepper
Method:
- In a small bowl mix all the ingredients with a spatula until well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Keep it in the fridge until required.
To make the beef rolls:
Ingredients:
- ½ head red chicory
- 1 small bunch rocket
- 1 celery stick
- ¼ lemon, for juice only
- 1 Bramley apple
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (optional)
Method:
- Remove the base of the chicory and separate the leaves. Halve each leaf lengthways and wash the leaves as well as the rocket.
- Peel the celery and slice it into matchsticks (3-4cm long). Slice the apple into matchsticks. (These celery and apple slices can be kept in water – with a strong squeeze of lemon – to help prevent oxidisation.)
- In a bowl, combine the celery and apple matchsticks with the chicory and rocket, and the horseradish crème fraîche. Keep this salad to one side.
- Fold the round slices of beef so they are half-moon shaped, and season with salt and pepper.
- Spoon a little of the salad into the centre of a folded slice of beef, and then roll the beef to form a cylinder, and stand it upright.
- Repeat this process with the rest of the beef slices and arrange them on a platter. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil (if using) and serve to your guests.
Bramley Apple and Salted Caramel Mini ‘Magnums’
Raymond remembers reaching for a refreshing 'Magnum' in his favourite sweet shop on a sweltering summer’s day many years ago. This inspired the Bramley apple and salted caramel bite-sized treats. These little ice creams remain one of the most popular petit fours at Raymond’s restuarant and hotel, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons. This new flavour combination is also inspired by the Bramley apples in Raymond’s orchard at Le Manoir.
Makes 40 ‘mini magnums’
Prep Time: 35 minutes, plus 2 hours for freezing
For the caramelised apple dice:
Ingredients:
- 1 Bramley apple (approx. 120g)
- 50g caster sugar
Method:
- Peel, core and dice the apple into ½ cm dice.
- In a medium-sized bowl, roll the diced apple in half the sugar.
- Heat a heavy-based large frying pan over a high heat, then add the remaining sugar to the pan. Cook it until it is a dark caramel and then add the diced apple and toss them in the pan until golden and caramelised.
- When they’re evenly coloured, tip them onto a tray and allow them to cool.
Making the ‘mini magnums’:
Ingredients:
- 1 x 400ml tub salted caramel Ice cream
- 40 cocktail sticks
Method:
- Line a 20cm x 20cm baking tray with clingfilm.
- Remove the ice cream from the freezer and leave it to defrost for about 15 minutes, and then transfer it from the packaging to a medium-sized bowl.
- At this stage the ice cream should be soft enough to mix with a spatula. Fold the diced, caramelised apple into the ice cream.
- Spread an even layer – about 2cm thick – of the apple-caramel ice cream over the lined tray. Place the tray in the freezer for at least 1 hour or until frozen hard.
- Next, line a separate large tray (that will fit into your freezer) with baking parchment.
- Remove the ice cream from the freezer and cut it into about 40 evenly sized rectangles. Insert a cocktail stick into the thin end of each piece to create bite-sized ice creams – maybe 2 bites!
- Place them on the prepared tray so they’re flat and don’t touch each other.
- Return them to the freezer for at least 1 hour before finishing.
To finish the mini magnums:
Ingredients:
- 50g nibbed almonds
- 200g chocolate (dark, milk or white – your choice)
- 40g cocoa butter (or vegetable oil)
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 170°C.
- Spread the nibbed almonds on a baking tray, transfer to the oven and toast for 7 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
- In a bain-marie (or in a microwave) melt the chocolate and oil to around 50ºC. Remove from the heat and stir to ensure they are well mixed.
- Add the toasted nibbed almonds and stir again.
- Pour this mixture into a tall, narrow jug – it’ll be easier to dip the ice cream.
- Remove the little ice creams from the freezer in batches. Dip each ice cream into the chocolate mix ensuring all the ice cream is coated and tap the stick on the side of the jug to knock off excess chocolate drips.
- Return the chocolate-coated ice cream to the tray and repeat the process until they are all dipped.
- Return the mini ‘Magnums’ to the freezer and keep there until ready to serve. Serve them straight from the freezer.
Variations
The size and shapes can be altered, depending on the depth the ice cream is spread and how big you cut them. Hundreds of variations can be made this way – and create your own favourite flavours!
