That Green Olive: Burned apple butter, white chocolate and sesame slice

Burned apple butter, white chocolate and sesame slice. Photo / Olivia Moore - That Green Olive

If you’ve got an apple tree, you’ve probably got a fair few recipes planned for the next few weeks; maybe you’ve got a favourite apple pie, apple crumble or perhaps an apple sauce for your ham.

Here’s something you might not have tried: burned apple butter.

The apples are cooked in butter until deeply browned and burned in areas - the apples become so soft and velvety in texture. This is then used over a sesame base, with a white chocolate sesame topping.

It’s a unique combination of flavours - smokey, tangy, nutty and sweet - and very autumnal. It’s also gluten-free, and the base and filling contain no refined sugars.

As for the topping - make sure you use good-quality white chocolate; quality ingredients make all the difference!

Visit Olivia’s website for more recipes: www.thatgreenolive.com.

Burned apple butter, white chocolate and sesame slice

Makes six big slabs

Base

● 200g almond meal

● 90ml maple syrup

● 50g butter, melted

● 40g toasted sesame seeds

● 1 tsp vanilla essence

● 1 tsp salt

● 1/4 tsp ground ginger

Filling

● 100g butter

● 1kg apples, cored and peeled

● 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

● ¼ cup maple syrup, divided

● 1 cup almond meal

● ½ tsp salt

● ½ tsp vanilla essence

Topping

● 150g good-quality white chocolate

● 1 tsp tahini (sesame seed paste)

● 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Method

1. To make the base, stir all ingredients together in a large bowl until the mixture has a dough-like consistency. Press evenly into the base of a baking paper-lined slice tin and chill while you make the filling.

2. To make the filling, melt butter over medium heat until bubbling. Cook, swirling around occasionally, for two minutes until it starts to smell nutty. Add apples, apple cider vinegar and half the maple syrup. Cook over medium heat for 30-35 minutes, stirring frequently, until deeply golden, soft and developing a nice char.

3. Reduce heat to low and break up the apples with a fork until a smooth mash. You can alternatively blend in a food processor.

4. Transfer to a bowl and stir through almond meal, salt, vanilla and the remaining maple syrup. Spread over your prepared base and smooth the top. Chill while you make the topping.

5. To make the topping, gently melt white chocolate chips in the microwave in 15-second bursts. Stir through tahini. Slowly add hot water, one teaspoon at a time, until the mixture can be drizzled - you should only need three to four teaspoons of water.

6. Drizzle over the apple filling and smooth the top. Evenly sprinkle with sesame seeds and chill for six hours or overnight, until set. Cut into six big or eight medium-sized slabs. Serve chilled or at room temperature.