The History
A number of Victorian books about the Isle of Wight mention a forgotten local speciality, known by the name of ‘apple stucklens’. They were a small semi-circular pastry (similar to a Cornish pasty) filled with sliced apples and sugar. Unlike apple turnovers, they didn’t use flaky puff pastry and instead were made from a crumblier shortcrust. Islanders may have used crab apples to fill them, or even the Island’s very own variety of apple: the Isle of Wight Pippin. Local author Maxwell Gray (1846 – 1923) mentions these pastries in a number of her books (including The Last Sentence and Unconfessed) and describes how they were often taken into the fields by workers at harvest time.
How to Make Them
Makes 6
375g shortcrust pastry
3 medium apples, peeled and sliced
75g light brown sugar
25g butter, unsalted
Lemon zest
Ground cinnamon (optional)
Whole milk (for glazing)
- Melt the butter in a frying pan and then add the sliced apple, lemon zest, 1 tbsp. of water and cook until the apple has softened (about 5 minutes).
- Next, take a rolling pin and roll the shortcrust pastry on a lightly floured surface until it’s about half a centimetre in thickness. Then using a circular pastry cutter (or even the rim of a glass), stamp out as many circles from the pastry as you can.
- On each pastry circle, place about half a tablespoon of the apple mixture on one side of the circle, leaving a border around the edge and sprinkle with light brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Brush the border with whole milk and bring the empty side of the pastry over the filled side and press the edges together. Use a fork to crimp the edge for a better seal.
- Using a knife, cut two small holes in the top for steam to escape. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Brush over the pastry with whole milk and sprinkle a little more brown sugar
- Finally, bake the stucklens at 180°C – or until golden brown, cooling on a wire rack before serving.
James Rayner 