Ingredients:

  • 1 sheet half 450 g pkg frozen butter puff pastry thawed
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 sweet-tart apple such as Empire cored and thinly sliced
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
  • 1/4 cup red or white icewine
  • 4 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1 shallots sliced
  • 1 teaspoon mixed peppercorns
  • 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves chopped

Directions:

  1. On a lightly floured work surface, gently roll out pastry into a 12-inch square; prick all over with fork.
  2. Cut into 16 squares; arrange on parchment paper–lined rimmed baking sheets.
  3. Mix mustard with thyme; brush over tops of pastry, leaving 1/2-inch border.
  4. Arrange 3 apple slices in centre of each. (Make-ahead: Freeze until firm. Layer between waxed paper in airtight container; freeze for up to 2 weeks. Add 2 minutes to baking time.)
  5. Whisk egg with 1 tsp water; generously brush over pastry edges.
  6. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, in 400°F oven until pastry is crisp and golden, 15 to 17 minutes.
  7. Sprinkle with blue cheese.
  8. While tartlets are baking, in small saucepan, bring icewine, sugar, shallot and peppercorns to boil.
  9. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and syrupy, about 6 minutes.
  10. Strain through fine-mesh sieve, pressing on solids with back of spoon; discard solids.
  11. Drizzle syrup over tartlets; sprinkle with tarragon.

Recipe for the icewine glaze can be found here.

Apple Sage Mule

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz vodka
  • 1/2 oz lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 oz apple cider
  • 1 1/2 oz ginger beer
  • 1 bouquet of sage, garnish
  • 1 apple fan, garnish

Directions:

  1. Add vodka, lemon and apple cider to a cocktail shaker. Short shake over 3 ice cubes.
  2. Strain into a Moscow Mule mug or rocks glass, fill with ice. Top with ginger beer.
  3. Garnish with spanked sage bouquet and apple fan.