Rebecca's Corner: Apple Tart

APPLE TART story and photos by Rebecca Giese

This apple tart is the perfect Fall Recipe to impress your friends with your culinary-art skills without the stress of needing advanced skills. If you can cut an apple and roll-out cookie dough, you can master this dessert on the first try. Whether you are making it for an autumn evening dinner party or save for your Thanksgiving celebration, this tart is such a refreshing change from the traditional apple pie. I love apple pie, but I love how this recipe has minimum ingredients and allows the apples to be the center of attention not just visually but also for your taste buds.

As a heads up, the recipe is, as I have mentioned, very easy but a bit time-consuming. If you have a party to go to in an hour, this isn't the recipe for you today. The crust needs to chill 45 minutes and again for an hour in the pan. To make it easier, I suggest prepping the crust a day or two in advance. Then let the dough warm on the counter until rollable and follow the rest of the recipe from there.

Happy 1st Day of Autumn - September 22nd!

APPLE TART

INGREDIENTS

Crust: 1 1/4 c flour (make sure to have extra for dusting), a pinch of sugar (around 1 tbsp but to taste), 8 tbsp butter, 3 tsp ice water, 1/4 tsp table salt (ONLY if you use unsalted butter)

Filling: 5-7 Apples*, 1/4 c sugar, 3-4 tbsp butter

*I used Gala apples. I would not recommend Granny Smith and usual baking apples because they are too tart for this recipe. I would stick to smaller sweet apples.

METHOD

1.) Mix the flour and sugar if using unsalted butter, then add the salt. Cube the butter into smaller pieces and use a mixer to blend the ingredients. Once combined, add the ice water. Mix until you have a "cookie dough" consistency. This mixture will be crumbly. Now use your hands to press the dough together into one large disk ( like a hockey puck), transfer it onto plastic wrap, and wrap it tightly. Chill the dough for 45 minutes.

2.) Once the dough has chilled for 45 minutes, prepare a clean surface to roll out the crust. To help the dough from sticking to your counter or table, dust the surface with flour. Now take a rolling pin and roll out the dough into a large round piece at about 1/8 inch thickness. Place the dough on your well-greased tart pan and press to the shape of the pan. Then chill the crust-filled pan for one hour.

3.) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare the apples for the tart, de-core, and cut the apples into halves. Then cut the halves into thin pieces. Layer the apples, standing upright, starting from the outside of the crust, working your way to the center. Use any extra pieces to fill in any gaps. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the apples. Cut the butter into small pieces and lay them over the apples. Then bake for 60 minutes, or until apples are soft and the crust is golden.