Crispy Kartoffelpuffer Cups with Apple-Bacon Sour Cream

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220 °C for 12 min. Melt the butter in the microwave or a small pan and use part of it to brush the holes of a 12-hole muffin tin thoroughly, sides included, so the cups release cleanly. Keep the rest of the butter for the batter.

   Add in this stepButter, melted 12 g

   oven

2. Peel the potatoes and grate them on the coarse side of a box grater; grate the onion on the fine side. Wring both hard in a clean tea towel until hardly any liquid drips, then tip into a bowl. Any water left behind makes soggy rather than crisp cups.

   Add in this stepPotatoes 500 gOnion 60 g

3. Add the egg, flour, grated cheese, salt, pepper and the remaining melted butter to the potato and mix well. The cheese bakes into the potato and makes the cups sturdier and more savoury.

   Add in this stepEgg 1Plain flour 2 tbspParmesan, finely grated 30 gSalt ½ tspBlack pepper 1 pinchButter, melted 18 g

4. Divide the mixture between the muffin holes, about 2 heaped tablespoons each, to make 12 cups. Press the base down firmly with the back of a spoon, then push the mixture up the sides to form a hollow cup. Keep the walls thin, 3–4 mm, and the base a little thicker so they don't break.

5. Bake in the preheated oven at 220 °C for 22 min. If you are using two tins, swap shelves halfway through for even browning. When the rims are deep brown and crisp, let them cool in the tin for 3 minutes, then run a butter knife around each one and lift it out. The tin and cups are very hot, so use oven gloves.

   oven

6. While they bake, cut the bacon into 1 cm strips and fry it without oil in a 20 cm pan over medium heat for 6 min until crisp, then drain on paper towels. Core the apple, cut it into 5 mm dice with the skin on and stir it into the sour cream.

   Add in this stepBacon 60 gTart apple ½Sour cream 120 g

   medium heat

7. Fill each warm potato cup with a spoonful of apple sour cream, top with bacon and chives and finish with a thin drizzle of honey. Eat straight away, while the cups are at their crunchiest.

   Add in this stepChives, finely snipped 2 tbspHoney 2 tsp