Technical Stages :

• Prepare a pie dough.
• Roll out the dough and ease into a high circular baking pan.
• Cut the dough with a knife, leaving a 1 cm (0,39 inch) high rim on the side.
• Put a rolled aluminium foil all around the pie to prevent the sides for falling down while baking.
• Bake the shell at 180/200°C or 356/392°F.
• When finished, remove the aluminium.
• Let it cool and keep aside.
• Soak the gelatin in cold water.
• Prepare pastry cream with mass 1. Add the drained gelatin to the warm pastry cream. Mix well.
• Let it cool at room temperature.
• Add the flavour (Calvados).
• Chose nice apples.
• Peel them and cut them in pieces of about the same size.
• Melt the butter in a non-stick pan.
• When the butter is really warm and starts to crackle, add the apples.
• Add sugar to taste. You can also add a spliced vanilla pod and cinnamon.
• Flamb with the Calvados.
• Drain and let cool the apple pieces. Expect 7 to 8 apples per pie.
• Cover the blind baked shell with the cooled apples. Press well with the back of a spoon to leave no gaps.
• Now you must prepare the italian meringue with mass 2.
• Cook the sugar with a bit of water.
• Meanwhile, beat the egg whites until stiff.
• When the sugar reaches 121°C or 250°F (use a sugar thermometer), pour it on top of the eggs, whisking at low speed.
• When the sugar is combined, speed up to the maximum and beat until fully cooled.
• Mix well. You obtain an onctuous and homogeneous cream. Beware not to beat it too much or the meringue will fall.
• Garnish the pie. Simply put the cream on the apples.
• Smooth with a metal spatula, guiding yourself with the sides of the pan.
• Let it set in the fridge for a few hours.
• With the tip of a knife, go around the cake to unstick it from the pan. If you prefer, you can also heat the outer side with a torch.
• This way the cake will come out easily.
• Sprinkle the cake with brown sugar.
• Caramelize the surface with a torch.
• Let it set in the fridge before serving.
• Serve with a puree of red fruits...