APPLE CONFIT

From Jean George Vongerichten, this is a very special and quite complicated dessert and I have made it several times when it turned out to be applesauce, good, but not what I wanted. The trick, I finally found, is in slicing the apples very thinly. By all means, use a mandolin (or don't make this; thinness is essential). Don't worry about the apples turning brown while you're slicing - there are a lot of them - since the dessert is supposed to be brown when finished anyway. I never understood why you put a tray under the mold in the refrigerator since the mold is completely wrapped with aluminum foil and can't possible leak. And how you pour the liquid out after this stage remains a mystery. Still, you want to get as much liquid out of the confit as possible so the apples can steam rather than baste. When this all works, the result is spectacular and tastes incredible and the dessert is well worth the effort involved. To enjoy it thoroughly, be sure to serve it with whipped cream or a small dollop of vanilla ice cream or apple sorbet. The contrast is perfection.

 

APPLE CONFIT

makes 10-12 servings

 

2 C sugar

5 oranges

15 Granny Smith apples

 

1. Melt 1 cup sugar in a sauté pan over medium heat, stirring only occasionally, until it bubbles and turns golden brown. Immediately pour it into a standard 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan, or a 3-inch deep, 9-inch cake pan. Swirl the melted sugar around so that it coats the bottom, and set it aside. The caramel will harden while you prepare the oranges and apples.

 

2. Use a zester to remove the orange zest in long thin strips. (This tool has a deep "V" shaped groove that allows you to cut long strips without getting any of the pulp.) Place the zest in a saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil, then cook for 1 minute. Drain, then refresh under cold running water for a minute or two. Drain again.

 

3. Peel the apples, then halve and core them. (You can do this easily with a melon baller.)Cut them by hand or with a mandolin into even slices about 1/8 inch thick. Keep slices neatly stacked.

 

4. Using only flat pieces (discard the rounded ends), placed a layer of apples neatly in the bottom of the loaf pan, on top of the hardened caramel. Cover with another layer, keeping the layers as level as possible, and pressing down to even them out. Sprinkle with a bit of the remaining 1 cup sugar, then some of the zest. Repeat, adding sugar and zest every 2-3 layers.

 

5. When you get to the top of the pan, keep the lines straight and continue to build layers beyond the top, going about 3-4 inches above the pan. Cover the top with plastic wrap and wrap the whole pan in aluminum foil. Place it in a shallow tray - it may drip -  and refrigerate at least overnight and preferably for 24 hours.

 

6. Drain any juice from the tray (you can reserve this for making apple sorbet), then unwrap the pan. Drain the excess liquid, then wrap the pan in a double layer of aluminum foil. Place the pan in a large, deep roasting pan and fill the roasting pan with water halfway up the sides of the loaf pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 5 hours, then check. The confit is done when all the apple slices are dark brown, it has shrunk to fill only about 3/4 of the mold, and a thin bladed knife pierces it easily. Cooking time is usually between 5 and 6 1/2 hours; check and replenish the water bath (use boiling water) as necessary.

 

7. Unwrap the confit, cool, then chill for several hours and up to 2 days. Slice thinly and serve; it's very rich.