INGREDIENTS

Pastry

• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick plus 7 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons ice water
• 6 Golden Delicious apples, cored
• Three 3-inch cinnamon sticks, broken in half
• 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon of water

Stuffed Apples

• 10 apples
• 1 tbsp of butter, plus 1 tbsp
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp cane sugar
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp clove
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ginger
• 1/8 tsp salt
• Zest of one lemon
• ¾ cup roughly chopped walnuts

METHOD

For Pastry

In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the sugar and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with the egg yolk, then whisk in the water. Drizzle the egg over the flour mixture, and stir with a fork to lightly blend the ingredients. Squeeze gently until a smooth dough forms. Divide it in half, pat each half into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°. On a floured work surface, roll 1 of the pastry disks into a rough 9-by-24-inch rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. Using a plate as a guide, cut out three 8-inch rounds. Transfer them to a large baking sheet with plastic wrap between them to prevent sticking. Repeat with the remaining pastry disk. Cut out leaf decorations from the scraps to use for garnish. Refrigerate the rounds and decorations until firm, at least 20 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator and let stand until pliable, about 2 minutes.

For Apples

Cut the tops off of the apples.  Use a paring knife to core the apple. With a spoon, scoop out the meat of the apple, leaving a ¼ inch edge space.  Roughly chop the meat of the apple.  

Place 1 tbsp of butter in a sauté pan and add the apples, sugar, and spices. Cook for three minutes at medium heat or until spices coat the apples. Add a pinch of salt.

Toss apple mixture in a bowl with lemon zest and walnuts.  Scoop ¼ tsp of butter into each hollowed-out apple and top with about 1 ½ tbsp of apple mixture or until apple is filled.

Lightly oil a large rimmed baking sheet. Drape a pastry round over each apple and wrap the apples without stretching the pastry, tucking it around and underneath to form a neat package. Transfer the apples to the baking sheet. Using a small knife, make a hole in the pastry at the top of each apple and press the cinnamon sticks on the diagonal through the holes and into the apples, creating stems. Brush the pastry with the beaten egg and bake the apples for about 1 hour, or until they are cooked through and the pastry is nicely browned.