The Tides of Change & Oma’s Apple Tart
Over the past few months It’s been a little quiet here at Sustarian Living. This is mainly due to change. Not just one, but a string of both physical and chemical changes resulting in a rather uncomfortably loud and messy bang.
A change in career, for both myself & my husband. A change in country. An international house move under the belt with new schools for the children and new routines, but also (more seismic than the afore mentioned) a fundamental change in the fabric of our family.
The loss of a loved one.
Somewhere amongst the unpacked boxes and standing on the shore of a life waiting to unfold, the bang that brings you back down to earth. Suddenly your picture of life has an unexpected vacant spot, a gap, a hole that will remain.
Grief in times of change seems even less tangible, there is no place to put it. Everything is new and foreign to us, there are no reminders here. So we spent time remembering, hanging our thoughts on bare walls & walking shores in search of stones.
When the tide of life changes you pause. Time spools by as if your existing inside an old video taped version of a vaguely familiar soap opera.
Today is no different from any other. From my bed I hear the faint electronic alarm bell of the level crossing closing, the 5.36am from Rye to Ashford quietly rumbles by. I lay awake, and for the first time in a long time I was thinking about writing, Life, Oma and Apple Tart.
This post is in honour of the late Geertje Kist, who amongst many other things used to make an epic Apple Tart
This offering is laden with sustainable memories, calories and is the perfect pick me up when acknowledging a ‘lost in life’ moment!
Tip: Eat it as if you’ve run a marathon and need the sugar! #survivingloss
Rich & Buttery Dutch Apple Tart
- The Sweet Pastry
- 300g Plain Organic Flour
- 180g Organic Butter
- 150g Caster Sugar
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 Organic Egg
- For the Filling
- 4-6 Apples (Slightly sour type is better: Golden Rush, Braeburn)
- 50g Soft Brown Sugar
- 2 Teaspoon of Cinnamon
- 1 Teaspoon Mixed Spice
- 1 Teaspoon Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
- Pre heat the oven to 180oc & grease a deep 8'' round baking tin
- Mix the flour, softened butter and egg into a pie dough
- Place in the fridge for apron 20 mins
- Peel the apples, removing the core and chop into large slices. Place into a bowl.
- Toss the apples with the lemon juice
- Add the sugar, cinnamon and mixed spice to the apple mix.
- Ensure all the apples are coated in the sugar and spices. Set aside.
- Remove the pie dough from the fridge.
- Take the pre greased baking tin and breaking pieces of the dough, push together to form a base
- Repeat the technique around the sides of the tin ( should be approx 1cm thick)
- Once you have a closed tart base and sides, tip the apple mix into the center
- Using the remaining strips of dough form a lattice across the face of the tart.
- Brush with a little egg yolk and sprinkle with sugar.
- bake in a pre heated oven at 180 oc for 60 mins
- Eat Hot or cold, with cream or a cup of coffee
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