A Moment For: The Macca’s-Inspired Apple Pie at Grandfathers

This week, we’re adding Grandfathers to The Hot List , the definitive guide to Sydney’s most essential food and drink experiences.

McDonald’s golden arches cast a long, nostalgic shadow. Sydney’s favourite venues seem to continually dip into the Macca’s canon for inspiration – whether it’s a loyal tribute like the McLovin muffins over at Happyfield, or an homage like the filet-o-fish-evoking fish finger bao at King Clarence.

The latest entrant to Sydney’s burgeoning inspired-by-McDonald’s subgenre is Grandfathers’ apple pie. And it looks set to win its own legion of dedicated fans.

“It brings back memories of my childhood trips to McDonald’s,” says chef Dan Pepperell, who co-owns Grandfathers as well as Pellegrino 2000, Clam Bar and Neptune’s Grotto. “There’s a comforting nostalgia.”

The team wanted “a hot fried fruit dessert”, Pepperell explains. “Originally we were workshopping a banana spring roll, [then] our dim sum chef Wenry Tan had the idea of putting fruit into a ham sui gok – we tried it with a classic apple pie filling and it worked well.”

Ham sui gok are glutinous rice dumplings – typically packed with a savoury filling – that have a mochi-esque texture and crisp exterior. Here they’ve been fashioned to look like two adorable little Granny (Grandfather?) Smith apples, piped with apple pie filling and dusted in cinnamon sugar, and served alongside a hearty scoop of cinnamon ice-cream.

It’s reminiscent of Dinner by Heston’s famous meat fruit dish , but this actually tastes like fruit.

So far, people have loved Grandfathers’ trip down Macca’s memory lane.

“Number one seller on the dessert menu,” Pepperell says.

Here are all the details.

What: Grandfathers’ apple pie
How: The team makes a dough of glutinous rice flour, wheat starch and sugar, before adding boiling water to partially cook the starch and unlock the ham sui gok’s chewy, elastic texture. Adding oil smooths out the dough and facilitates shaping, then it’s fried at a low, consistent heat to expand and create a hollow puff. Finally, it’s finished at a high heat for a crisp exterior, before it’s loaded with the apple pie filling and ready to serve.
Cost: $22
Where: Grandfathers , CBD

grandfathers.com
@grandfathersrestaurant

The Hot List is proudly sponsored by Square.