If you’ve got apple or pear trees it’s a great time to make a jalousie, particularly if some of the fruit aren’t perfect and can’t be stored. A jalousie is a French pastry which is half turnover, half strudel. Serves eight to ten.
450g puff pastry
50g butter, softened
50g icing sugar
2 eggs
50g plain flour
50g ground almonds
grated zest of a lemon
3 apples, cored and sliced (or pears)
Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees C. Halve the pastry and roll out one half to a rectangle 25 x 20cm (10×8″) and place on a baking tray. Roll the other piece out about 2cm (1″) larger in both directions. Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg, flour, almonds and lemon zest and mix well. Spread the paste over the pastry on the baking tray, leaving a 3cm border. Arrange the fruit slices over the almond mixture. Moisten the border of the pastry with a little water. Flour the larger piece of pastry well and fold in half lengthways. Make 1cm (half inch) cuts from the fold to 2cm (1″) of the edge. Lay over the apple mixture and unfold, matching the edges and crimping with your fingers to get a good seal. Brush the top with a little milk and sprinkle with caster sugar. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes.