Apple Tarts with Vanilla Ice Cream

Yesterday, I went to a fresh market and found apples that are imported from New Zealand. Too bad, I forgot to take a picture of the apples before it got chopped. I'm not sure what type they are, but they have a lovely vibrant red color which reminds me of Fall season. Unfortunately, we don't have 4 seasons in Thailand. This is one of the things that I'm missing about Canada. But at least, I can still make these yummy apple tarts with vanilla ice cream, turn on an air condition to a very low setting, close my eyes and imagine that I'm in Canada eating these yummy apple tarts. Enjoy!

Apple Tart with Vanilla Ice Cream

(Make: 10 mini tarts)

PASTRY

(Pastry recipe from La Fuji Mama)

2 C all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

2 tsp granulated sugar

1 C cold butter, cubed, chilled

1 tbsp cider vinegar

1/2 C milk

APPLE FILLING

1/4-1/2 stick of butter

6 apples

1/2 C firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

In a large bowl, whisk flour, salt and granulated sugar. Chill the flour mixture in the freezer for 15 minutes. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Add in the cider vinegar. Gradually add the milk. Mix the mixture with pastry cutter until the dough stick together.  Form a ball and divided the dough into 10 pieces. Wrap each one with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

While the dough is chilling, peel, core and cube apples. In a large frying pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add in the cubed apples. Stir often for 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle brown sugar and nutmeg over the apple. Continue stirring about 5 minutes or until the sugar is melted and bubbled. Remove from heat and let it cool.

Preheat at 375 F

After 1 hour of chilling the dough in refrigerator, remove one of the dough ball at a time. Roll out the ball into a circle that a little bit larger than the tart shell. Place it over the tart shell and fit the dough inside with your fingertips. Trim the edges by rolling the rolling pin over the tart shell. Repeat the steps for the remaining balls.

Fill each tart with apple filling. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven. Let it cool slightly. Remove the tart shell. Place the baked apple tart on a small dish and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Things iLove - Rice Field & Dragon Fruit Farm Edition

Yesterday, my parents and I took a drive to Ratchaburi Province which is 2 hours drive from Bangkok. There are many rice fields along the way, so we stopped to take some photos. We also stopped by at dragon fruit farm too.

Enjoy!

Rice field and a Cow
(We found two cows standing on the sideroad eating grass. He was looking at me like 'why you are calling me and taking my picture?')

Rice field and Another Cow

Closed Up Rice Plants

(Harvest time is almost here. The color of the rice plants is starting to change from green to golden yellow. Lovely!)

Egret

(standing at the top of the tree protecting the nest)

Dragon Fruit Farm

Red & White Dragon Fruit at Farmer's Stand
(There are two types of dargon fruit. The white one is sweeter and the red one has a little bit of tartness.)

Apricot Jam Thumbprints & Carrot Cake Cookies

Sorry for my disappearing for couple weeks. However, I'm back with 2 yummy recipes for you!

Baking cookies is my most favorite thing to bake and also eat. After looking at my recipe index, I feel I haven't posted much of cookie recipes on here. So today I have two yummy cookie recipes for you.

First one is Apricot Jam Thumbprints. These thumbprints cookies are a little bit different from the normal thumbprints that I made before. It's dipped in egg white and rolled in ground almond-sugar mixture. So, the cookies have crunchy texture on the outside. I like this version of thumbprints better because of the crunchy almond.

The second recipe is Carrot Cake Cookies. If you like carrot cake with yummy cream cheese frosting, you will love this recipe. This Martha's carrot cake cookie recipe has carrots, oats, spices, and raisin in it. I think the recipe is already great and the cookies do taste like carrot cake. However, I might add shredded coconut and some nuts when I make this again next time. I think they will be even better.

Hope you all enjoy them!