KIKA APPLE TERRINE

The jewel in Wanaka’s culinary crown is Kika, recently acknowledged on the World’s 50 Best Discovery list as one of the best ‘new’ restaurants in the world. Executive chef and owner James Stapley focuses on amazing local and seasonal produce. The restaurant utilises what is good in the moment in dishes described as simple yet complex. This apple terrine sums up that philosophy with layers and textures – a perfect dish for winter.

10 Granny Smith apples, peeled

200g butter
150g sugar
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

60ml brandy
500g puff pastry
100g icing sugar

Bay cream

8 fresh bay leaf

500 ml cream

Melt the butter in a pan. Line a terrine dish or loaf tin with baking paper, allowing some to overhang. Slice apples thinly, working your way towards the core. Discard the core.

Mix all the ingredients with sliced apple in a large bowl, so they are all coated with the butter and sugar. Layer all of your apple slices in the terrine mould. It’s best to use a regular terrine dish so that the terrine is packed higher than the top as apple shrinks while cooking. Put a lid on the terrine, and cook at 180°C for 20 minutes, then remove the lid and cook at 200°C for another 10. Remove from oven, allow to cool, then put a chopping board on top to weigh it down overnight. Transfer to the fridge when cool enough.

The next day, turn out the terrine on a chopping board and remove the baking paper. Slice and blow torch individual slices of the terrine. An alternative is a very hot grill, in the absence of a blow torch.

Toast the bay leaf in a dry pan until fragrant. Add to the cold cream, and infuse in the fridge for a few hours. Remove the bay and softly whip the cream. Put in the fridge until ready to serve.

Roll the puff pastry into a large rough shaped rectangle. Use icing sugar on your bench instead of flour. This sticks to the pastry and caramelises in the oven. Roll out to the thickness of a dollar coin and line a tray with baking paper. Put your rectangle of pastry on top, prick pastry with a fork all over, and put another layer of baking paper on top, then cover with an oven tray to weigh it down – this eliminates a high rise on the pastry.

Bake it in the oven at 180°C for 25 minutes, or until golden. Cut the pastry into rectangles. Serve the slice of terrine on the plate with a scoop of cream, and a piece of pastry. We brush the terrine with a birch syrup that we make at the restaurant – maple syrup is a perfect replacement.