I had 3 large Honey Crisp apples, and dough for a single pie crust in my frig – with a few additional ingredients, I pulled together this rustic apple tart in 90 minutes! It’s not overly sweet, has a nice crispy crust, and plenty of apple juices. Try a drizzle of honey just before serving – YUMM!
TART CRUST (yes you can use a store-bought crust if you like, but I highly recommend making your own)
Ingredients:
- 1/2 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2″ chunks
- 1/4 c vegetable shortening
- 1 1/4 c all purpose flour
- dash of salt
- 1/2 c ice water (use only enough to moisten the dough)
In a large bowl, add the butter chunks, shortening, flour and salt. Blend together, and cut butter in with a pastry cutter. Use your hands as little as possible, to avoid melting the butter. When you have pea-sized lumps, start adding the ice water, a little at a time. Toss between additions. When the dough holds together on its own, you are there! (this is very forgiving – too wet, add a little more flour. Too dry – add a little more water).
Using your hands, press the dough together into a disc. Don’t over-work the dough. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill while you make the apple filling.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
APPLE FILLING
Ingredients:
- 3 large apples (Honey Crisp, Gala, or Yellow Delicious are perfect for this) Peel, core, and cut into 1/8″ slices – about 4 cups.
- 1/3 c granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
You will also need:
- 1 Tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 Tbsp coarse granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp apricot jam, melted with 1 tsp water (for glaze)
Prepare the apple filling:
Place apples in a large bowl. Add sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, melted butter, salt, and lemon juice. Toss to combine. Set aside.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out your tart crust to about a 12″ – 14″ circle, 1/8″ thick. Transfer dough to the parchment paper.
Sprinkle 1 Tbsp of the flour over the tart crust. Arrange apples in any pattern you like, covering the tart crust, but leaving a 3″ border all around. Fold the edges of the dough in toward the center, “pleating” the edges as you go around the tart.
Brush crust edges with the egg wash. Sprinkle entire tart with coarse granulated sugar. Chill for at least 15 min.
Bake at 350 degrees for for about 50-60 min, til crust is golden, and apples are cooked through.
Cool for about 30 min. Brush apples with the mixture of apricot jam and water.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream! The tart will last in the refrigerator for about 5 days.
