Let’s Eat

Country Apple Tart

What says autumn better than a homemade apple dessert? When the apple harvest is in it’s the perfect time to whip up everyone’s favorite dessert, an apple tart. Apple pies are fine, but here’s a treat with a twist, a one-crust tart. This dessert is not only attractive it tastes great. You can’t just use any apple for this tart. You need an apple that has the right sugar content and texture. The Granny Smith apple is the perfect choice.

Almond cream (Frangipane)

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup confectioner’s sugar 3 egg yolks 1 cup blanched almond slivers, ground 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

In a food processor, grind the almonds to a consistency of corn meal. Set almond meal aside. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This mixture will turn pale yellow. Mix in almond meal, salt and vanilla. Blend in egg yolks one at time until all is incorporated and smooth, creamy mixture is achieved. Refrigerate for later use.

The Pastry

Ingredients

1/2 stick unsalted butter, cold 1/2 cup vegetable shortening, cold 2 tablespoons sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup very cold milk, or as needed 2 cups cake flour, all purpose will suffice 1/2 cups chocolate chips, optional

Directions

Mix together sifted flour, sugar and salt. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut butter and shortening into the flour until pieces are pea-size. To form dough, add milk incrementally and mix until a dough ball is formed. Mix until just combined. Do not over mix. Dough should be slightly crumbly, but wet enough to form a ball when compressed. Form dough into a flat disc, wrap with plastic wrap and refridgerage for at least 2 hours before rolling out.

On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten the dough. Roll dough from center to edges into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. To transer pastry, wrap it around a rolling pin. Unrol pastry onto a greased 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into the plate being careful not to stretch it excessively or puncture the dough as this will allow filling to leak out while baking. Rim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry. Crimp edge as desired. Do not prick the pastry.

Assembling

Peel, core and halve 4 Granny Smith apples. With a paring knife, thinly slice each half. Set all sliced halves aside. Line tart pan with rolled-out pastry. Fill tart pan half way up the sides with almond cream. With spatula, smooth-out the almond cream. Arrange apples around for an attractive appearance.

Baking and glazing

Bake tart in a 375ºF oven until apples begin to brown and pastry is cooked. This will take 30 to 45 minutes. Remove tart from oven and allow cooling. In a microwave melt ½ cup of apple jelly and brush on tart with a pastry brush. Serve warm with whipped cream that has a dash of vanilla extract and a little sugar.

Publishers Note: We had a request to reprint this recipe that was featured here last October and we want to keep our readers happy so get out there and pick some apples and put together this tart!