COOKING WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS :
BANDE AUX POMMES by MADELINE DELOSH - MADO PATISSERIE

In the bowl of an electric mixer equipped with paddle attachment, place the flour, salt, and 7 ounces of butter. Mix at low speed until crumbly. Slowly add the cold water and mix until dough just comes together.

Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate.

Meanwhile, form the pound of butter into a square pad measuring 6 inches by 6 inches and about 1½ inches thick. Warp in plastic and refrigerate until the butter is as firm as the dough.

Lightly dust the work surface with flour, and roll out the dough to make a square with a light mound in the center. Place the square of butter diagonally on the thick cushion in the center of the dough. Fold two opposite corners of the dough over the butter, overlapping the corners. In the same way, fold the remaining two corners over the butter. The dough should now enclose the butter like an envelope. Roll the envelope to form a square that is 2 inches thick and 6½ inches on each side.

Wrap the dough square in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Lightly dust the work surface with flour and roll the dough into a rectangle that is three times the original length. Fold the rectangle in three—like a letter. Rotate the folded square of dough 90 degrees and repeat the rolling and folding. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and repeat the rolling out and folding procedure two more times, rotating the dough 90 degrees each time. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for two hours.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and repeat the rolling and folding procedure two more times—for a total of six times all together. Rest the dough in the refrigerator while preparing the Apple Compote.

APPLE COMPOTE

5 Granny Smith apples
1 lemon
1 orange
1 cinnamon stick
¼ cup sugar
Peel, core, and dice 2½ of the Granny Smith apples.
Put the diced apples in a pot. Add the zest of ½ the lemon, ½ the orange, the cinnamon stick, and the sugar.
Cook until the apples are soft, all the liquid has evaporated, and the compote is thick. Cool.

PREPARE THE DOUGH

Roll the dough to about ¼-inch thick.
Cut a band about 14 inches long and 4 inches wide.
Cut two strips 14 inches by ½ inch.
Refrigerate or freeze on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper.

FINAL ASSEMBLY

1 egg
¼ cup apricot preserves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Make an egg wash using the egg, a pinch of salt, and a tablespoon water.
Brush the egg wash along the long edges of the band.
Place the strips of dough on the egg-washed edges of the band. (The egg wash will help the strips stick.)
Pierce the inside of the band with the tines of a fork.
Spread the apple compote on the band inside the strips of dough.
Peel and core the remaining 2½ apples. Cut them in half and slice thinly.
Arrange the apple slices in close succession down the length of the band. (See video.)
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Melt the apricot preserves in a small pot over low heat. Then brush the apricot glaze over the apples and the pastry borders.