Rustic Caramel Apple Tart
Posted by Mrs. The Pants on June 7, 2012, 1:16 pm
Did you know there isn’t a soundtrack for “White Christmas” on itunes? I’ve had the counting blessings song and “Gee I Wish I Were Back in the Army” stuck in my head so I went looking for a soundtrack to appease the need to hear the actual songs. I found them, but not in one neat, little package. Boo! Oh well. At least I have them now, right? And “Snow”…
ANYWAYS! That has absolutely, positively nothing to do with this tart. I made this tart back in September, but I was in the midst of pregnancy/miscarriage mumbo jumbo so I didn’t really make note of liking it or not. Then my mom came to visit last weekend, and I’ve had some Granny Smith apples in my fridge, so it seemed like good timing for a fun, sweet treat (please note: she will be coming down again next weekend for Ben’s baptism {this is Ben the would be dictator, fyi}, and she has requested seeing bats flying out from bridges and doughnuts from Gourdough’s, so there’s the sweet treat for that weekend’s adventures).
As it turns out, if you’re not dealing with pregnancy/miscarriage mumbo jumbo, this is really, REALLY good! Oh my gosh and so. ridiculously. easy. Seriously. This is like making the world’s easiest pie without a pie plate. I love how “rustic” it is with the dough just folded up over the filling. You could have this all done within a relatively reasonable amount of time (the dough does have to refrigerate for about 30 minutesish) and in your tummy before you can say “Bob’s your uncle!” (or your dad, if you are lucky enough to have Bob as a dad. I was lucky).
Rustic Caramel Apple Tart
Recipe sources: Tart-Taste of Home, Toffee sauce-Picky Palate
2/3 cup flour
1 TB sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup cold butter, cubed
6 1/2 tsp cold water
1/8 tsp vanilla
Filling:
1 1/2 cups chopped, peeled, tart apples
3 TB sugar
1 TB flour
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Gradually add water and vanilla, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 10-inch circle. Transfer to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Combine the filling ingredients; spoon over pastry to within 2 in. of edges. Fold up edges of pastry over filling, leaving center uncovered. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over filling.
Bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly. Using parchment paper, slide tart onto a wire rack. Drizzle with caramel topping. Serve warm.
This is the recipe for the toffee sauce I used on mine (I highly recommend it, especially eating it straight with a spoon):
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
Place butter and sugar in medium saucepan on medium heat. Cook and stir until mixture turns a deep amber color. Carefully stir in cream and vanilla. Mixture will be bubbly. Whisking constantly, cook until sauce thickens and coats back of spoon.
I didn’t take a whole bunch of pictures, just because this is pretty easy to follow and self explanatory.
Doesn’t that look delicious, though?
This is ONLY a serving suggestion, but you’re a fool if you eat it any other way.
Do you like my duck plates? I got three of them, and one with a pretty blue design in the middle, from Goodwill for a couple of bucks (they are duck plates, those are the kinds of things that speak to you from across a crowded room).
One time we were feeding the missionaries and I made them pick a number between 1 and 10 to see who wouldn’t get to use a duck plate for dessert (since there were 4 of us, and 4 dessert plates, but only 3 duck plates…).
I don’t think I need to tell you that eating dessert on the not duck plate is no fun.
I’ve fought it long enough.
Here you go:
