NEEDFUL THINGS

PIES & PASTRIES

 

Source: Once Upone a Chef / Jennifer Segal


Makes 6 servings.


Preparation time: 1 1/2  hours


Tips: Make a great breakfast. Keeps well baked the night before, do not cover or refrigerate.

Rustic French Apple Tart

Apple pie without the pan

Ingredients

Preparation

For the Crust:

1-1/2 cups All-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons granulate sugar

1-1/2 sticks (12 Tablespoons)very cold unsalted butter cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/4 cup very cold water


For the Filling:

1-3/4 pounds baking apples (3 large)

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1/8 teaspoon salt


For Assembly and Baking:

1 Tablespoon All purpose flour

1 egg, beaten

2 Tablespoons turbinado sugar

1 Tablespoon apricot jelly or jam for glaze

  1. 1.Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or teflon sheet.

  2. 2.Using a mixer or you hands. Mix flour, salt and sugar. Add pieces of butter and use burst of mixing or you hands to incorporate into flour leaving butter pieces the size of peas. Add water and mix just until moistened and very crumbly. If mixer, total of 10 seconds.

  3. 3.Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead a few times, just until it comes together into a cohesive ball. Pat the dough into a disk. Dust the surface again and with rolling pin, roll into a 8-10 inch diameter circle, adding flouer as needed not to stick. Transfer dough into baking sheet, and refrigerate while preparing filling.

  4. 4.Filling: Peel, core and cut apples into 1/8 inch thick slices (about 4 cups) and place in a large bowl. Add the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon butter in small pieces and salt; toss to combine.

  5. 5.Take dough from the refrigerator. Slide parchment paper or teflon sheet into the counter, roll the dough into a 14 inch circle about 1/8inch thick. It is fine if edges are a bit ragged. Return parchment sheet into the pan.

  6. 6.Assembly: Sprinkle the flour evenly over pastry. Arrange apple slices on top in overlapping circles to within 3 inches of the edge. Don’t worry about making it look perfect. Fold edges over the apples in free- form fashion working around creatinf pleats as you go. Patch up any tears and pinch a bit the dough from the edge.

  7. 7.Using a pastry brush, brush the pleated dough evenly with the beaten egg. Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of the turbinado sugar over the top crust and 1 Tablespoon over the fruit. Chill the assembled trat in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.

  8. 8.Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and set an oven rach in the center position.

  9. 9.Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the crust is golden and cooked through. Transfer the pan to a rack to let cool.

  10. 10.Glaze: in a small bowl, mix apricot jam and 1 1/2 teaspoon water. Heat in microwave until bubbling, about 15 seconds. Using a pastry brush, brush the apples and the crust edges with the apricot syrup.

  11. 11.Serve warm or room temperature

NOTE: 1) Dough can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated. Allow to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes or until pliable before rolling.

  1. 2)Tart is best served on the day it is made, but leftovers keep well, loosely cover on the contertop, for few days. Cover entirely will make the crust soggy.

  2. 3)Variation: Fresh peaches, omitt vanilla and cinnamon.  Any other filling use in Danish pastries will work well.

       Pies & Pastries