Country Apple Tart
Our Country Apple Tart is adapted from the classic apple tart recipes made in France, using our Apple Pie Spice for a light cinnamon flavor. The consistency is not like an apple pie, so you will read where the slices are picked up and eaten by hand. Or serve on a plate and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
You can use many apples, as long as they are firm. We like to use Granny Smith in most of our apple recipes, but Rick’s mother used Macintosh, other parts of the country might use Gala, Fuji, Braeburn or other flavorful apple. Our recipe doesn’t use that much sugar since we want the flavor of the apple to come through. Our Apple Pie Spice compliments the apples with a wonderful sweet cinnamon flavor.
Serves 8
Ingredients:
1 ¼ Cups All-purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Sheffield’s Apple Pie Spice
3 Tablespoons Sugar, Divided
1¼ Teaspoons Kosher Flake Salt
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
5 Tablespoons Chilled Butter, Cut into ½-in. Cubes, Divided
3 Tablespoons Vegetable Shortening
1 Large Egg, Lightly Beaten
2 Tablespoons Whole Milk
1 Pound Apples (about 4). We use Granny Smith, but you can also use Fuji, Gala, or other firm variety. Peel and core them. Cut each apple into 16 wedges.
3 Tablespoons apricot preserves. Warm in the microwave a bit to soften them to a brushable consistency.
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Put the rack in the center position.
In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, the salt, and the baking powder. Whisk to combine. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter cubes, and the shortening. Use your fingers to mix the flour mixture, combining the ingredients to form coarse, pea-size pieces. Using your hands allow you to feel the consistency, breaking up and combining the chilled butter with the flour mixture. Add the milk and egg. Using a wooden spoon, stir until just combined. Press the dough together into a ball. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch glass pie plate. A shallow pie plate is best so the apples will fill the plate more and have less crust showing. Press the dough evenly in the pie plate bottom and up the sides. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up the dough.
When the pie dough has chilled, arrange the apple wedges around the bottom of the pie plate, and up the sides a bit. Overlap the slightly so the look like a pinwheel. Push them in the dough gently, so they will hold the pattern better. You should have a few slices left over. Cut them in half and use these pieces in the center of the pie plate to complete the pattern.
Combine the Apple Pie Spice and Sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the apples. Spread the remaining butter cubes around the apples. Place in the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the apples are tender when pierced with a knife and crust is golden brown. Watch the crust and cover the edge with aluminum foil strips if it gets too brown before the apples are done. Remove from the oven and use a pastry brush to carefully brush the apricot preserves over the apples. Place back in the oven for another 5 minutes until the apricot preserves have melted into a thin glaze. Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack to let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Cut into slices and enjoy.