autumn apples and pears



 These last couple of weeks have seen a seismic shift in our national history with the sudden death of Queen Elizabeth, our sovereign for the last 70 years.

Along with the majority of people here in the Uk, I have known no other monarch. The Queen was a constant in the ever changing patterns of our lives. And it is difficult to grasp that she is no longer with us.

Her faithfulness in keeping her coronation oath,  her devotion and hard work, an example to us all.

The day before the state funeral, we drove the 40 or so miles to Sandringham, one of the royal residences where Queen Elizabeth used to love to spend Christmas and the winter months.
Along with hundreds of others, we laid a small posy of flowers as a tribute, adding them to the sea of flowers already there.
Despite the crowds, there was a calm and peaceful atmosphere on what was a beautiful autumn day.



Today is another lovely autumn day and I am still celebrating all that autumn has to offer and in particular, the delicious English pears and apples available.
Last time, I posted a recipe for apple and hazelnut flapjack and this time, it's the turn of pears with a very simple recipe for baked pears with ginger and maple syrup.

For the baked pears, wash and halve 4 pears  (no need to peel) and remove the core.
Place in a baking dish, sprinkle with half a teaspoon of ground ginger and drizzle over 2 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey.
Bake in a pre heated oven at 180c for 20-30 minutes until the pears are tender.
These are delicious served with chopped crystallised ginger and a few toasted flaked almonds either with a dish of yoghurt or even better, on top of a bowl of steaming porridge!

And a few tips on drying apple rings.
I have become a little addicted to drying apple slices recently!
They are a great way to preserve a glut of apples and make a delicious and healthy snack, but would also make pretty decorations for cupcakes.



Here's what to do.
Wash the apples and slice as thinly as possible. There is no need to peel or core the apples, as the peel adds flavour and nutrients and the core makes a pretty star shape in the middle of the rings. Do remove any stray pips however.
As the apples are sliced, place into a bowl of water with the juice of half a lemon and leave the slices covered in the water for about 15 minutes. This helps to prevent them browning too much.
Then dry the apple slices thoroughly on a clean tea towel and place in a single layer on a rack set over a large baking tray.
Dry the slices in an oven set to 90c for 2-3 hours, turning the slices over halfway. Then turn the oven off and leave the slices in situ for several hours or overnight.
Store in an airtight container.


I hope you are enjoying these autumnal days as much as I am.

Speak soon

Annie
x










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