The Petits Chefs are back! Actually this term we are focussing on baking again as the space we used to use from 2010 – 2020 has been converted to a proper classroom (from a science lab) and I don’t have nearly as much equipment/ storage as I used to. So we’re making the best of what we have! Fortunately, I have over a decade’s worth of recipes and tips and tricks up my sleeve so hopefully I can make 12 weeks of this work!
This week I figured we’d start with something easy to make – as in, not very many ingredients and not very many steps. I just happen to be working on a recipe for my monthly French (Food Idiom) Fridays newsletter post (check out the first one here and subscribe!) and what better place to test it out than in a classroom with limited equipment and 12 kids under the age of 13? If they can do it, anyone can!
UPDATE: Get the recipe here!
We started out working with puff pastry – trying to keep it cool but warm it up enough so it was able to be rolled out. A tricky balance but we learned that putting the pastry between parchment paper to roll it works!
Then we worked to make “edges” using the tines of a fork (new word for lots of them!).
Pro tip: this kept a LOT of little hands busy!
We eggwashed those edges too but somehow I don’t have a pic of that…
Other little hands were busy peeling and slicing apples…
And squeezing lemons (I taught them how to roll the lemon to make it soft, then juice it with a fork).
Then we mixed the apples with the lemon juice and some sugar…
Next up – assembling the pièce de résistance…
And we added a *touch* of sugar to the top too…
Some of the tarts had a *touch* more 😉
But out of the oven, they were beautiful!
And see that gloss?
We used some jam and boiling water to make a quick “glaze” that they loved brushing on!
The precious cargo made its way home…
A very fun session with a beautiful and delicious outcome! Stay tuned for next week when we will work on some holiday recipes!
UPDATE: Get the recipe here!
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