It's the end of the school term- This hasn't been a great year for me- it's been filled with many challenges, many mountains to climb, to conquer. It started off with being around people I found hard to trust- so many new faces, so many different people, with so different personalities. I guess it opened my mind - to see that the world isn't made up of angels - it's made up of people with different goals in life, people with different beliefs, people with different backgrounds. 

But I've made new friends, familiar with more people. I've laughed more, smiled more, and loved more. I have to admit I'm not a sociable person- I'm quiet, sometimes I fade into the background to let people take the spotlight while I stand behind. I don't have many friends- people don't really know me - but I have a few great friends, who I can genuinely trust and believe in. And I'm happy- that's what matters to me most.  

The school year has been filled with so many things, I'm so happy it has ended. A year of taking up more leadership roles, in both my class and CCA, and I'm proud. Nothing beats the feeling of achievement, when people really recognise you for your efforts, and say the 2 words- thank you. 

It's been a long and tiring week, as usual, full of quizzes and tests and dreary lessons. TGIF, as usual, marks the weekly baking routine :) 

This idea came up during dinner when the whole family set together for my father's home cooked dinner of stir fried vegetables with enoki mushrooms and scallops and steamed chicken with black fungus. Simple, but satisfying. Sometimes the simplest meals are the best. 

Just like these little apple pies. I cheated and used puff pastry, because it makes a speedy and flaky pastry that is not too sweet but satisfies by buttery-pastry crave for the entire week. Use any apples you like. I had some Granny Smith apples on hand, tart green apples that provide some texture, but I find they are a little too tart for me. Increase the sugar if you prefer slightly sweeter apple pies, or use sweeter apples like Fuji. 

The crumble is simply oats, chopped walnuts, cinammon, nutmeg, sugar and butter. Easy peasy! Gently lay the crumble over the apples and puff pastry and bake! I baked my mini pies in my brownie pan, because - why not? Pies don't always have to be round. 

Makes 8 mini pies 

For the filling:

3 large apples, finely chopped 

1 tbs cornstarch 

1 1/2 tbs brown sugar 

1/4 tsp cinammon 

For the crumble: 

1/4 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup all purpose flour 

1/4 tsp cinammon 

1/4 tsp nutmeg 

1 1/2 tbs cold butter, cubed 

1/8 cup walnuts, chopped 

2 sheets of frozen puff pastry, thawed 

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius. 

In a large bowl, mix the chopped apples, cornstarch, brown sugar and cinammon together and set aside.

In another bowl, mix the oats, flour, cinammon, nutmeg, then rub in the cold butter using your finger tips. Toss in the chopped walnuts. 

Cut each sheet of puff pastry into 4 squares. Press each square of puff pastry into a greased brownie pan or cupcake pan. 

Add about 2 tablespoons of apple filling into each tart shell, and then top with the crumble topping. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes until the apples are tender and the crumble is golden brown.