Behind so many celebrated chefs are passionate amateur moms, bordering on professional level cooking. Such is the case with Anne Marie Blanc, whose son Raymond never ceases to celebrate at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons restaurant. "She was a genius in the kitchen and her apple pie remains the best in the world."
Raymond Blanc's apple pie
The story
In the early 1900s in France, there was a handful of courageous women, genuine suffragettes of taste, took the lead in establishments celebrated by critics and guides in their early days. The most well- known was Mère Brazier, master of Paul Bocuse and Bernard Pacaud, who went on to receive 6 MICHELIN Stars in the 1930s at two different restaurants. The first ever. But with her and some before her time, are several other names, influential in the history of gastronomy.
There was Anne Marie Blanc, who passed away in 2020 at age 97. The great chef Raymond Blanc, among the founders of fine dining in the UK at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, always acknowledged a deep debt to her, naming numerous dishes and a statue in his restaurant after her.
He declared that the foundations of his cooking and ethics trace back to her, in fact, he eventually dedicated a book and a television series to her. In the beautiful house where he grew up in Franche-Comté, it was she in the postwar period who tended the garden, passing on to him the cult of seasonality and sincere produce. But above all, "she was a genius in the kitchen," simply put. And Raymond, her trusted helper, chosen among five children. "Mon petit, run to the garden and fetch me some Ratte potatoes," she would ask. Never simple potatoes, as the varieties of each vegetable were different. "I felt encouraged and that I had
to be a good cook for her. I learned from her to the end."
The dish
"Mama Blanc used to make the best apple pie in the world. This was her classic recipe, and its success lies in its simplicity as well as in the choice of apples to use. There are about 9000 varieties, but only a few will appease the best 'tart experience.' You need the right balance of sweetness and acidity and an intense apple aroma. My favorite for this recipe is the Captain Kidd from the Cox Orange Pippin family. It is a heavenly, juicy, aromatic apple with the perfect texture. Other great old varieties are Egremont Russet, Lord Lambourne, Jubilée, D'Arcy Spice and Devonshire Quarrenden, all grown by me in Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons orchard. If you can't find them in the supermarket, any Braeburn or Cox variety will be a reliable option."
But be warned: the chef says the same recipe can be made with apricots, plums, cherries, pears, peaches, or any other seasonal fruit. Pair with the same Calvados or a passito, for example Verduzzo from Friuli.
Mama Blanc’s Apple Pie
Ingredients for 6 people
For the dough
200 g flour
100 g room-temperature diced butter
1 g salt
1 organic middle-sized egg
1 tbsp fresh water
Method
Mix the flour with the butter and salt in a large bowl, using your fingertips. Make a crater in the center and pour in the egg with the water. Mix it by exerting circular motions, using your fingertips again. When the egg has been absorbed, form a ball. Lightly flour the work surface and knead with the palms for 20 seconds, until smooth consistency. Take 20-30 g of dough and wrap it in plastic. Roll out the rest forming a 2 cm thick disc, and let it rest in a cool place covering it with kitchen foil.
Preheat the oven to 210 °C. Lay a piece of foil on the work surface, arrange the dough in the center and cover with more foil. Roll out to a thickness of 2-3 mm, without flouring. Arrange an 18-cm-diameter pie circle on a cutting board lined with baking paper. Discard the foil on top and slide the dough into the circle. Discard the other piece of foil, let the dough slide along the sides so that it adheres well to the bottom, and even out the edges using a rolling pin. Press the rest of the dough into the size of the bottom and line it by pressing down, to prevent collapse. Pierce the bottom with the tines of a fork and raise the edges 2 mm by pressing with your thumbs. Let rest in a cool place for 20 minutes.
For the filling
3 apples, peeled and cut into 8-10 slices each
15 g melted butter
15 g granulated sugar
1,5 tsp lemon juice
7 g Calvados (optional)
1 organic middle-sized egg
50 g granulated sugar
100 ml whipped cream
Icing sugar
Method
Arrange the apple wedges tightly on the bottom of the cake. Stir in the melted butter, 15 g sugar, lemon juice and, optionally, Calvados, then brush over the apples. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, which will caramelize in baking. With the aid of the cutting board, move it onto the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the egg with the rest of the granulated sugar and whipped cream. Pour over apples and bake for another 10 minutes, until golden brown. Take out of the oven, let cool for 30 minutes, and sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar before serving.
@Heathcliff O´Malley, The Telegraph
