Apple Confit Pate Recipe

Ingredients for Apple Confit Pate

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• Oranges
• Granny Smith Apples

How to Make Apple Confit Pate

1. In a small saucepan, melt 1 cup of granulated sugar over low heat, stirring constantly until it turns a rich golden brown. (This creates the caramel base).
2. Carefully pour the melted caramel into a 9x5 inch loaf pan or a 9-inch round cake pan (3 inches deep), ensuring the bottom is evenly coated.
3. Using a vegetable peeler, zest one orange into long, thin strips. Set aside.
4. Place the orange zest in a small saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil.
5. Drain the zest, rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process, and drain again.
6. Peel, halve, and core 4-5 medium apples (about 2 pounds total). Granny Smith or Honeycrisp are excellent choices.
7. Using a sharp knife or mandoline slicer, thinly slice the apples to about 1/8-inch thickness.
8. Keep the apple slices neatly stacked to maintain even layering.
9. Arrange a layer of flat apple slices in the bottom of the prepared pan, ensuring they are neatly placed.
10. Repeat layering the apples, keeping them as neat and even as possible.
11. Gently press down on each layer to compact the apples.
12. Sprinkle a small amount of granulated sugar (about 1 tablespoon) and a few strips of the blanched orange zest over every 2-3 layers.
13. Continue layering the apples, sugar, and zest until the pate is 3-4 inches above the rim of the pan, keeping the layers straight.
14. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap, then wrap completely in aluminum foil.
15. Place the wrapped pan in a larger, shallow baking tray to catch any drips during baking.
16. Let the assembled pate rest at room temperature for 24 hours.
17. After 24 hours, carefully drain any excess liquid from the pan and unwrap the foil.
18. Re-wrap the pan in a double layer of aluminum foil.
19. Place the wrapped pan in a large, deep roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with water, coming up about halfway up the sides of the loaf pan.
20. Bake in a preheated 300°F (150°C) oven for 5-6 hours, or until the apples are dark brown, the pate has filled most of the mold, and a knife easily passes through the center.
21. Remove from the oven, carefully unwrap, and let cool completely.
22. Once cool, refrigerate for several hours to chill completely.
23. Slice thinly and serve. Enjoy!