All cooks of my generation owe a debt of gratitude to Elizabeth David who changed the whole pattern of eating by introducing us to the foods of continental Europe in the fifties and sixties.

What is less known about Mrs. David is that she also did a lot of research into the foods of her native England and wrote an excellent book on this in 1970 called
Spices Salt and Aromatics in the English Kitchen

Included in this is a recipe for Pippin Tart she found in a cookbook written by the Countess of Kent way back in 1653.

This recipe started :
“ Take fair Pippins and stew then with claret wine and cinnamon and ginger”

and finished:

“Lay on sugar, bake it, ice it, scrape on sugar and serve it “

I worked in a restaurant in Kent during the Seventies and my boss there, called Michael Waterfield, was fascinated with this recipe from the past of the county.

He worked on the recipe and came up with a version suitable for modern kitchens.
It has become my favourite Apple Tart, a recipe which turns a simple dessert into something special

Pippin Tart

This will fill a 12" Tart Tin

1 kg (2lbs) cooking apples
4 eating apples
1 glass red wine
110g (4 oz) dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 piece preserved stem ginger(finely diced)

for icing :
3 oz caster sugar
2 egg whites

Short crust pastry :
12 oz flour
6 oz butter
4 tablespoons water


Peel and core the cooking apples and chop roughly.
Cook until soft with the red wine,brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger.
Take off the heat , peel, core and slice the eaters and stir into the apple puree.
Make a short crust pastry either in the food processor or by hand.
Roll out two thirds of it and use to line a 12" tart tin.Spoon in the apple mixture and roll out the remaining third to cover the top.
Cook at 220 C , 400 F, Gas 8 for about 20 to 30 mts. until the pastry is cooked.
Beat the caster sugar up with the egg whites until well blended and smooth and spoon this mixture over the hot tart. This will set on contact and form a crunchy glaze on the pastry when it cools. This is best served warm .