In the Czech kitchen: Babička's baked apples in a pastry 'robe'

Prague pastry chef Lukáš Pohl of Cukrárna Myšák shares a recipe for the traditional 'apple in a robe' (jablko v županu).

Ambiente

Written by Ambiente Published on 04.10.2023 15:07:00 (updated on 11.10.2023) Reading time: 2 minutes

Food & Drink
Photo via Ambiente
Photo via Ambiente

Autumn means apples and if Czech seasonal standbys such as strudel or žemlovka feel a bit time consuming then baked apples are a must: easy, delicious, and incorporating the rich flavors of the harvest season, it's the perfect fall dessert.

Lukáš Pohl, pastry chef from Myšák confectioner's in Prague, offers this traditional recipe for jablko v županu (apples in a dressing gown) in which juicy apples are filled with earthy walnuts, sweet marzipan, and tart preserves and wrapped in a flaky pastry and baked. For an ultra-decadent finish, the dessert can be topped with a drizzle of vanilla sauce or a scoop of ice cream.

Photo via Ambiente
Photo via Ambiente

The apple is a part of Czech culinary culture. In Ambiente restaurants it is regularly paired with pork. The more acidic varieties make a harmonious combination with smoked pork, but also with smoked fish such as carp. Apple and horseradish is a well-known pairing, and in autumn the fruit is also paired with spiky roasted cabbage or used as a stuffing in roast ducks and geese. A salad of lightly roasted apples combined with kohlrabi, cabbage, cumin oil, and a touch of apple puree is the ultimate autumn side.

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Chef's tips

  • Choose acidic apple varieties with firm flesh, as they will not release excessive juice and will maintain a pleasant texture even after baking. (Boskoop apples or pippin are excellent choices).
  • For a shortcut considering buying premade puff pastry and caramel nuts from Myšák (you can also pick up ice cream; the warm dessert is traditionally served with vanilla but Baileys or Crème brûlée work, too)! Baked apples also pair beautifully with crème anglaise.

Jablko v županu (Apples in a robe)

Ingredients For 6 servings

Photo via Ambiente
Photo via Ambiente
  • 6 medium apples
  • 30 g chopped walnuts (Myšak uses caramel-coated nuts)
  • 30 g raisins, soaked in rum
  • 50 g marzipan
  • 40 g of a tart fruit preserve, preferably currant
  • 20 g grated gingerbread
  • 350 g butter puff pastry
  • 1 egg for glazing
  • Icing sugar and cinnamon for sprinkling
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Instructions

  • 1.Peel and core the apples, ensuring that the fruit remains whole. In a food processor or by hand, blitz or crush the nuts, raisins, and marzipan into a thick mass. Divide the mixture into two parts.
  • 2.Spoon half of the mixture inside the cored apples. Using a pastry bag, top off the apples with preserves and then seal with the remaining marzipan mixture. Roll the apples in grated gingerbread.
  • 3.Preheat the oven to 165°C.
  • 4.Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the puff pastry into a single sheet of about 2-3 millimeters thick. Brush with beaten egg.
  • 5.Cut the pastry into 6 squares and wrap the apples inside. Join the ends of the pastry and then place the wrapped apples, seam side down, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the pastry with egg again wash and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
  • 6.Dust the baked apples in the dressing gown with icing sugar and cinnamon and serve.

In the Czech Kitchen is a weekly column written in cooperation with the culinary experts from Ambiente. Established in 1995, the Prague-based collective of pubs, restaurants, and fine-dining outlets has transformed the Czech culinary landscape and lent to the widespread awareness of quality food service and production in Czechia. Follow their socials or book your table at www.ambi.cz.

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