Appelflappen

 
It's Fall!!! Time to fire up the oven again, as the evenings get colder and, for that matter, the mornings too. But, first a side note. A comment from a reader last week brought an interesting fact to mind, one that has had me puzzled for quite some time. For some obscure reason, Americans confuse Dutch with Danish. I'm not entirely sure if they do it the other way around too, as I don't know any Danish people around here that I can ask.

The thing is, I have encountered it so much, and in such different age groups, that I am beginning to think that it's taught in school. I cannot explain it otherwise.

Nevertheless, every time somebody asks me if I'm Danish or speak Danish, I can't help but think of pastries. I know it's silly, because I've been to Denmark several times and have very dear friends living there. Surely I could think of many other things besides baked goods, but no.....pastries it is. I can't help it!

Danish pastries are very similar in texture to puff pastry. Loaded with butter, they nevertheless have a light and layered presentation and pair well with fruits and custards. A traditional Dutch Danish therefore would be a koffiebroodje, or for something fruitier, an appelflap, or apple turnover. And as it happens, the orchard down the road just emailed to say that the apples are ripe for picking.....so appelflappen it is!

This is a typical pastry that you will find in bakeries, and places where they serve coffee and tea. It's crispy, sweet and filled with the goodness of apples.

Appelflappen
2 tablespoons currants
2 tablespoons raisins
1/2 cup apple juice
3 dried apricots
2 Jonagold apples
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of cinnamon
1 lb puff pastry (or one Pepperidge Farm package)
Coarse sugar

Add the currants and the raisins to the apple juice. Put the dried apricots in a small cup and add enough warm water to cover. Soak the currants, raisins and apricots overnight, or at least for a good four hours.

Allow the puff pastry to thaw, while you peel and core the apple. Chop the apple in small pieces. Drain the raisins and currants and add to the apples, stir. Mince the apricots until almost a pulp and fold it into the apple mixture, then add the sugar and the cinnamon and stir until everything is well mixed. Set aside.

Unfold the puff pastry and cut into squares, 4.5 x 4.5 inches approximately. Place them before you with one corner pointing downwards. Place about 1/4 cup of filling on the bottom half of the square, wet the edges of the dough and fold the top part over, forming a triangle. Carefully press the dough around the filling and on the edges, making sure they are tight.

Place the triangles on some parchment paper on a baking sheet and place it in the fridge while you turn on the oven. Heat to 385F.

Remove from the fridge, and moisten the top of each triangle with some water, then sprinkle the coarse sugar on top. Place the baking sheet on the middle shelf in the oven, and bake the turnovers for 20 minutes or until golden.

Makes 8.



 

14 comments:

  1. Wat een heerlijke blog! Ik woon sinds april in Virginia, en het is super om al die typisch Nederlandse gerechten bij elkaar te zien. Ik dacht bijna dat we geen eigen eetcultuur hebben...

    Ik zie dat je hier Jonagold appels gebruikt, voor een appeltaart gebruik ik graag Goudreinetten (Schone van Boskoop). Ben je die in de VS al eens tegengekomen? Of iets dat er op lijkt?

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    1. Celeste, goudreinetten zijn hier jammer genoeg moeilijk te krijgen. Ik gebruik voor appeltaarten meestal een mix van 3 appels zodat ik een combinatie van smaken krijg. Meestal Jonagolds, Fujis en Galas maar soms ook Granny Smith, zoals Stefanie hieronder, of zelfs Pink Ladies of Winesap. De Goudreinet boompjes zijn wel online verkrijgbaar dus als je de mogelijkheid hebt, kun je misschien een paar boompjes planten? Ik ga zelf ook eens even kijken!

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    2. Goed idee, die appels mixen. Ga ik proberen! Ik woon nu in een huurhuis, dus zelf een boompje planten moet nog even wachten. Ben wel benieuwd of het je lukt, zelf deze Goudreinet appels kweken.

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  2. Ik gebruik voor appel-bak-recepten de Granny Smith appels hier in de VS. (Ik woon in Colorado). Bakze!

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  3. Love these and amandelspijs broodjes!

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    1. Oh....I should put amandelspijsbroodjes on the to-do list for Sinterklaas!

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  4. Your side note about the Dutch/Danish confusion made me laugh, because it is also 100% true of my husband's experience as a Dutch person in America. I don't know where it comes from, probably just Americans not knowing enough to know the difference.

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  5. I always make the filling a bit more simple, but i think your version is also very tasty.
    I just add raisins, pieces of apple (smaller than half a centimeter) and as much cinnamon as i like. I also use a bit of vanilla sugar in the filling.

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  6. These turned out beautifully, Nicole. I made a batch, had one with coffee, went out to do the shopping and while I was gone my husband ate the rest. I simplified the recipe a bit (e.g., no apricot), but they still worked fine. Teresa.

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  7. My Oma made them very differently...she would slice cores appels in the round, and then take appelflap batter or thin out oliebol batter and dip them in it, so you'd get what looked like a flat donut. Then deep-fry, dip in icing sugar, and enjoy on New Year's Day! Delicious. I miss them and will have to learn how to make them...this was only my second Nieeuw Jaar met geen oliebollen of appelflappen! Shame...

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    1. Hello Teresa, you will find the appelflappen as you know them under Appelbeignets. It's an easy recipe, so no need to go without next year (or next week ;-) - Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!

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  8. So interesting. Maybe it's a different part of the Netherlands but my family's recipe for Appelflappen was nothing like a "Danish", but basically apple rings dipped in batter and fried, an apple fritter of sorts. Is there regional difference that's so strong that you know of?

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    1. Hello Kitschen.Counter! You will find the batter-type "appelflappen" under "appelbeignets" in the menu on the right-hand side. Depending on where you grew up, appelbeignets are sometimes called appelflappen. It's not wrong, just confusing, so "officially" the batter type is called appelbeignet, and the triangular puff pastry with apple is called appelflap. The former is usually only served during the winter holidays, the latter can be found year round in bakeries and cafés. Fortunately, they both taste good!

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  9. Wow. Having scoured the internet for a few days now trying to find a traditional oliebollen recipe, I went down a very deep rabbit hole surrounding dutch pastries. Who knew there were so many opposing opinions on what constitutes an appelflappen vs an appelbeignet! I'm starting to believe that it all boils down to the area of Holland that you reside. Just as most areas have their own dialect, I believe they have their own ideas of what apple desserts are named what. My mother in law always made appelflappen and so for us, that meant peeled cored sliced apples dunked in batter, deep fried and served with a light sprinkling of icing sugar. Her family was from North Brabant. On one of our many trips to visit relatives, we spent time in Friesland and there we were served appelbeignets. Peeled, cored, sliced apples dunked in batter, deep fried and served with a sprinkling of icing sugar. Go figure! All I know is I almost had my head bit off when I called an oliebollen a fritter once:( No matter what you call any of them, they are all faves around here:)

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