Apple Tart w/Custard Filling

By mariannefeldman

(c) A Marcy Goldman, BetterBaking.Com Original Recipe
www.BetterBaking.Com
Alsatian Apple Tart

This is one of the first tarts anyone learns in hotel school or if you are from Alsace, by your mother’s side. Concentric circles of tender apple, set in vanilla-scented cream and finished with a veneer of apricot glaze. Granny Smith is the usual choice here but a combination of a Cortland and Golden Delicious makes a more flavorful tart. Use fresh autumn apples those taste you prefer and is regional but try to find apples that are both tart and sweet or use a tart one and a sweet one to ensure a bouquet of apple flavor.

Ingredients

• Tart Crust
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 4-6 tablespoons whipping cream
• Filling
• 4 large apples, such as Golden Delicious and Cortland ,sliced 1/8 inch thick
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Pinch Cinnamon, pinch cloves
• Finishing Touches
• Apricot jam, for glazing, warmed

Preparation

Step 1

For the tart pastry, place the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse to blend dry ingredients. Add in the chunks of butter and pulse to make a grainy mixture. Add in the cream, a few tablespoons at a time and pulse until you have a mixture that hold together, adding in additional cream if required.

Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead gently to form a dough. Pat into a disc, wrap and refrigerate 1-4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll out the tart dough on a floured work surface. Fold it in four and transfer to a 9 or 10 inch tart or quiche pan, unfold the dough and then press the dough snugly onto the pan and into the fluted edges. Trim pastry so it is flush with the pan edges. Place on the baking sheet.

Prepare the apples by paring into 1/8 inch slices. Arrange in concentric circles in the tart shell, keeping slices as snug as possible. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, cream, milk, vanilla, lemon juice, cinnamon and cloves. Pour over apples. Place it carefully in the oven.
Immediately lower temperature to 350 F.

Bake until set, 60-75 minutes or until custard seems set and apples are softened. Cool 10-15 minutes before brushing with warmed apricot jam.

Serves 6-8

© This is a Marcy Goldman/BetterBaking.com original recipe