Sunday

Home Ec Revisted

My favorite thing ever about school was Home Economics class, in our huge classroom with its eight individual kitchens, it was licence to play house well on into my teens! 

Under the instruction of our mad teacher, who was caught in a timewarp somewhere between 1901 and 1968, we learned the basics of cookery.  I remember making lots of things, but rice pudding and rock buns, scones and butterfly cakes stand out proudly amongst memories of incontrollable giggling, silent food fights (standing for role with pudding in my hair was quite a skill) and the joys of carefully but precisely pouring iced water down the back of a friends jumper.  I don't think I have ever laughed like I did in school, and certainly not as hard as the day a very brave friend of mine was asked to taste the teachers offering of our weeks recipe and responded with enthusiasm, which we all recognised as a precursor to mayhem, the tasting was dramatic and followed by a loud scream and pretend retching, choking and falling about.

Anyway, apart from my love of a good session of nervous laughter, I have retained a love of cooking, and above all admiration for all teachers.  

My offering today is to say to them "It was not in vain" and that they did teach me something - the basics, a foundation on which to build and improve.  

Here is my version of a Home Ec favorite.

Apple Crumble

You'll need
150gms plain flour
50gms Brown flour
125gms cold butter, cubed
50gms Ground almond
75 gms caster sugar
25gms demerara sugar

8 large sweet apples
3 Tbsp sugar

Method
In a mixing bowl rub the cubes of butter into the flours, as you would for scones, but it will be less like breadcrumbs and more like biscuit crumbs due to there being more butter.
  When this is done add the almond and give it a firm stir through with your fingers.  Shake in the sugars and mix briefly before setting aside.

Peel, core and slice your apple and line along a deep pie dish.  Sprinkle with sugar and mix around.  Sprinkle with the remainder of sugar and top with the crumble mix.  Don't press the crumble down at all, just allow it fall where it likes.

Bake at 190 for 30-35 minutes until the apple is soft, if the apple is still hard when the crumble is golden and crispy (as types of apple will vary) cover with foil, turn the oven down to 170/160 and leave for a further 15 minutes checking every 5.  Its a labour of love.

Serve with vanilla ice-cream after a roast dinner!

7 comments:

Kim in the Kitchen said...

We made apple crumble in Home Ec too!

rachel said...

comfort food at it's finest, especially during the autumn season.

Nicole said...

Looks very very tasty! I never had home ec... too many other courses I guess.

What are rock buns?

Beth said...

I loved home ec. Was required in jr. high. I loved the cooking anyway. Was never a great seamstress. Still trying to work that out.

And to second Nicole's question, what the heck are rock buns? Maybe they are like the monkey bread we made.

Emily said...

I am pleased to say that I'm still in Home Ec. Well I'm in the catering class at school. It is my favorite class. Although thankfully I don't have to do the sewing component anymore. Oddly I don't think I ever made a crisp at school but it is one of my favorite foods. I love all crumbles and crisps but berry in particular.

Ciara Brehony said...

Ah. That time of year again. Apples galore! And nothing better than apple crumble. I love how it's one of those recipes that everyone has their own slight variation of. It's all in the topping. Yum!

Lo said...

Mmm. This looks delicious.

I took Home Ec myself... and I think we had the same teacher!! :)