Dessert apple & date turnovers - "lift the dish"?

[jeral Profile]

Anything which would make the turnovers more Mmm... please? Maybe better means sticky. I don't know but feel sure there must be a "something".
(Please not cinnamon, cloves or butter.)

Ta.

[mark111757 Profile]

How about a little flambé using calvados??

Some kind of sticky butterscotch sauce???

[Alexandria Profile]

Jeral,

Here are some filling suggestions:


4 or 5 different apple varieties
a drizzle of fresh lemon juice
Almonds or Hazelnuts or both & / or nuts that you prefer
Assorted Dried fruits of choice

Topping Ideas:

Cider, Cream & Honey ..

Cider, Cream & Sugar ..

Have a nice evening,

[jeral Profile]

Thanks both, and I do like the topping or sauce ideas that hadn't occurred to me so they're on the cards.

TBH it's dawned on me that the reason I'm struggling so much is that apple and date just doesn't go together which is ironic given I've just started a pairs thread

Thus I'll make apple & sultana and date & apricot instead. Nuts work well in a salad so I'll save a couple of apples for a salad

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Vanilla, Jeral?
I've got my 8yr old vanilla syrup, that I add to apples, custard, ice creams, tarts etc.

[jeral Profile]

Vanilla, Ooh yes. Off out in a minute so will pick up a bottle of extract (mine doesn't last long). I can make a quick sugar syrup or use a spot of Golden Syrup.

[Wic Profile]

Raisins are nice with apple. Especially if plumped up in some sort of sherry/ wine/orange juice. I’d suggest tea, but as I can’t even bear the smell, I wouldn’t use it myself!

And, prosaic, but really nice, custard ... though cream is easier.

[Alexandria Profile]

Wic,


Apples pair extraordinarily lovely with Sultanas ( raisins of choice ) .. And marinating them in Apple Liquor ( with or without alcohol ) is a lovely idea or red wine .. Or apple cider ..

[Rainbow Profile]

TBH it's dawned on me that the reason I'm struggling so much is that apple and date just doesn't go together which is ironic given I've just started a pairs thread

Thus I'll make apple & sultana and date & apricot instead. Nuts work well in a salad so I'll save a couple of apples for a salad

Not sure why you say apples and dates don't go, Jeral.
I've made an apple and date slice several times, and really like it.

Apple and sultana is a good combo. My mother used to make an apple and sultana pie many years ago - we all loved it

[mark111757 Profile]

I thought sultanas were in gordo's mincemeat recipe.?
For a big time vanilla hit, vanilla bean paste. Picked that up from the king of stylee. You may pay more but the results and flavour speak for themselves.

[jeral Profile]

It's not so much date apple and date not going together as it being nice but underwhelming. Maybe all that's needed is mixed spice?

mark111757, I've not heard of sultanas with beef mince, though a spot of apple or carrot works in spag bol sauce, probably because it sweetens (takes the acidity off) the tomato content, so maybe that's what sultanas would do.

Vanilla paste if pure and pods are great, especially if you have Gordo's income But you're right, worth spending the extra for.

[mark111757 Profile]

What I was thinking of was one of Gordon Xmas recipes. A fruit mincemeat.. there might be a video got it there.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lMPXIhQljHY

That called for raisins but why not sultanas

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Orange zest?

Family favourite crumble is rhubarb, date and orange, and I think it would work with apple too - after all they are all mincemeat flavours too

[Alexandria Profile]

The sultana is a White grape and are Golden in color when dried and tend to be more plump, juicier and sweet than a regular sepia toned ( dark Brown black ) raisin.

The drying process is different however. Raisins are sun dried naturally and Sultanas are dipped in Extra virgin olive to dry in Andalusia ..

The sultana would pair marvelously with other dried fruit and a variety of apples and other "tart" fruits ..

Soak them in Cider, Apple Brandy, Mulled red wine or red wine for a little while !

[jeral Profile]

What I was thinking of was one of Gordon Xmas recipes. A fruit mincemeat.. there might be a video got it there.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lMPXIhQljHY

That called for raisins but why not sultanas

First apols for thinking you meant beef mince, oops. Who knows, maybe you've just started a new trend

I'm purely guessing that in Gordo's Xmas mince, the dark raisin colour gives a recognisable luxurious look to otherwise light-coloured ingredients. Raisins do have a richer taste that can hold its own with strong ingredients and perhaps why raisins became traditional in the first place. Some on here have very early cookery books that might give us a hint.

Sultanas are used in other cakes though, like light fruit cake to serve with a cup of tea. Either sultanas or raisins are used in some scones.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

A pinch of nutmeg.
A bit of ginger, or ginger syrup.
Macadamia nuts

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Sweet Xmas Mincemeat usually has raisins and often currants to give a dark richness, then the sultanas add another layer of taste and texture, as they are more tender

My family recipe also includes dates (no, we aren’t obsessed). Started as an economy measure when much cheaper than vine fruits but we kept going as they give good flavour and texture though perhaps needing a little extra liquid

[jeral Profile]

A pinch of nutmeg.
A bit of ginger, or ginger syrup.
Macadamia nuts

Thanks karadekoolaid
I've got two of the three. Can you send me a couple of Macademia nuts pls (address below) as haven't even seen one let alone taste one. Is it possible to describe their taste? (I do like pecans.)

Re Xmas cake/pud and sweet mincemeat, I have a mild dislike (hate, hate, hate) candied angelica. Just thought I'd let you all know that crucial bit of info lol. Does or did anyone ever like it?

Currants are great in Eccles Cakes and fly sandwiches (Garibaldi). Not sure about chewy bullets in Xmas fare.

[Lusciouslush Profile]

Currants are great in Eccles Cakes

I haven't seen an Eccles cake for years - certainly not in these them parts...…….


Cinnamon along with orange zest would be a picker-upper.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

Time for a trip to Eccles, Lush!!
Jeral - I haven´t the foggiest idea what an Eccles Cake would be like without currants. Hahaha!
Macadamia Nuts are utterly addictive. Salted, sweet, with chocolate, in savoury dishes - or best as a snack. I could happily gorge a whole pound of the things. They have a slightly waxy texture - a bit like a Brazil Nut. They´re also readily available in the UK; I bought some in Holland & Barrett when I was there in March.