Apple Tart Recipe (+ photo)

Winter is truely on it's way, cold temperatures, winter depression, dreary work or school... so here is an apple tart that you can easily make at home for some sweetness in your life ;)

Time taken: 70 minutes in total


Apple Tart

Followed recipe found from www.joyofbaking.com/frenchappletart.htm

Ingredients:


Sweet Pastry Crust

1 1/2 cups (195 grams) plain flour
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (113 grams) room temperature unsalted butter
1 large egg

Apple Filling:
6 medium-sized apples (Granny Smith or other firm textured apple)
3 tablespoons (40 grams) unsalted butter, divided
1/4 - 1/2 cup (50 - 100 grams) granulated white sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, divided

Glaze:
1/2 cup (120 ml) apricot jam

Method (This is what I did, for original recipe go to link)

Sweet Pastry Crust:

1. (Because I don't have a food processor) Place the butter in microwave safe bowl and heat it on med-high for 15 seconds. It should not be melted, but soft yet retaining it's shape so that it can be mixed.


2. Blend the butter with a hand mixer until softened. Gradually add the egg, beating until just incorporated. (Not too long)


3. Add flour and salt and mix just until it begins to take shape. (Once again, don't over do it)


4. Flatten dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge for about an hour so that it is firm. (I forgot this ...)


5. Have ready a 8-9 inch (20-23cm) tart pan with removable bottom. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into an 11 - 12 inch (28 - 30 cm) circle that is about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Don't overwork the pastry


6. When the pastry is the desired size, lightly roll pastry around your rolling pin, dusting off any excess flour as you roll. Unroll onto top of tart pan. Don't stretch or pull the pastry because it will shrink later.


7. Gently lay in pan and with a small floured piece of pastry, lightly press pastry into bottom and up sides of pan and trim off the excess


8. Prick bottom of dough to prevent from puffing up. Cover and refrigerate for about 20 minutes to chill the butter and to rest the gluten.


9. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line the unbaked pastry shell with parchment paper or aluminum foil and fill tart pan with beans/rice evenly to blind bake it.


10. Bake crust for 20 to 25 minutes until crust is dry and lightly browned. Remove weights and cool crust on wire rack.

Apple Tart:
In this recipe, there were two layers of apples. The bottom is like an apple sauce/mash and the top is just baked sauted apples.

For bottom layer of apples:

1. Peel, core, and slice three of the apples. In a large pan, melt 1 tablespoon (13 grams) unsalted butter and stir in between 2 - 4 tablespoons (25 - 50 grams) of the sugar, the lemon zest, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.


2. Add the apples and saute over moderate heat, stirring occasionally for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the apples are soft.


3. If the apples are not soft enough to mash using a fork, pour into a blender and blend the mix so that it is in a mash consistency.

For top layer of apples:

1. Peel, core, and cut the apples into slices 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) thick. Melt 1 tablespoon (13 grams) butter in a large pan over medium heat and stir in the other 2 - 4 tablespoons (25 - 50 grams) sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.


2. Add the apples and saute until they begin to soften, approximately 7 minutes. Set the cooked apples aside.

Assembling:

1. Spoon the apple sauce mixture into the cooled pre-baked tart shell. Arrange the apple slices in concentric circles over the applesauce, and brush with 1 - 2 tablespoons (13-26 grams) melted butter and sprinkle with brown sugar.


2. To further soften the suated apples, place back into a preheated oven for around 15-20 minutes until the apple is nice and golden brown.


3. Once the tart has cooled lightly glaze the apple slices with warm apricot glaze.

Apricot Glaze: Melt the apricot jam and brush over the top of the tart.

Serve the tart warm or at room temperature with softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Makes 1 - 8 or 9 inch (20 or 23 cm) tart.

Tips: Make sure the butter is not too hard at the beginning or it will not mix well with the flour. When you roll it out there will be lumps of unmixed butter that doesn't bake well.