Apple Tart Recipe

Escoffier Chef Instructor Stefanie Bishop shares her apple tart recipe made from scratch. This recipe is perfect for all festivities and a great dessert to bring to a Thanksgiving gathering.

Apple Butter

Ingredients

• 1000 g Apples
• 120 g Apple cider vinegar
• 240 g Water
• 2 g Gr. ginger
• 2 g Gr. Cinnamon
• 376 g Sugar
• 10 g Vanilla paste
• 2 g Salt

Method

1. Do not peel or core the apples. Rough chop the apples and combine everything in a large pot with the vinegar and water
2. Cook on low heat, covered until they begin to break down, approx 1 hour
3. Pass apple mixture through a ricer or a large sieve to remove the seeds, core, and skins
4. Combine apple mix with spices, sugar, and vanilla, and stir
5. Transfer the mixture to an oven-safe dish and cover it with foil. Bake at 330 F until fully caramelized and thick, approx 2-3 hrs. You will need to stir the apple mix throughout cooking to prevent burning. The final butter should be a deep amber color
6. Cool and use as desired

Poached Apples

Ingredients

• As needed Apples – braeburn, pinklady, or honey crisp
• As needed Sugar
• As needed Water or apple cider
• As needed Cinnamon sticks
• Pinch of Salt
• To taste Vanilla – extract or paste

Method

1. Peel the apples and use a melon baller to scoop out small spheres avoiding the core and seeds. Place in lemon water until ready to poach
2. In a large pot on low heat, sprinkle a thin but even layer of sugar on the bottom. Slowly let the sugar melt. When you see the edges of the sugar turn translucent and start to dissolve you can stir to incorporate all of the sugar in the pot. Once all the sugar has dissolved, add another layer of sugar to the pot
3. Continue this process until you have about an inch worth of sugar in the pot. At this point, you can increase the heat and let the sugar syrup caramalize
4. Be mindful as this process goes quickly
5. Meanwhile, heat the water or cider until it’s just under a boil and add the cinnamon, salt, and vanilla
6. When the sugar has turned a deep golden amber, similar to the color of honey, turn the heat down and carefully add the hot liquid a cup full at a time. This will stop the caramel from cooking. If the caramel hardens, turn the heat up to melt it. Add enough liquid to make a poaching solution to cook the apples. You should be adding double or triple the amount of liquid to sugar
7. Add the apples to the hot liquid a few at a time making sure to not overcrowd the pot. Poach the apples at a simmer until they are soft to the bite and a knife can easily pierce the flesh. Be mindful not to overcook the apples or your tart will lack texture
8. Remove the apples with a slotted spoon and let the apples cool on a sheet tray. They should be a deep amber color from the poaching liquid and have the flavor of cinnamon and caramel

Dulce de Leche

Ingredients

• As needed* Sweetened condensed milk

*you can cook as many cans as will fit in the pot

Method

1. Remove the wrappers from the cans
2. Place the cans in a large pot so they can sit in an even layer on the bottom
3. Fill the pot with water making sure to fully cover the cans by several inches
4. Bring the water to a boil and turn the heat down to a simmer
5. Cook the cans for 3-4 hours making sure to replace the water as it evaporates. Do not leave the cans unattended
6. After 3-4 hours remove the cans from the water and allow them to cool
7. Open the cans and spoon the dulce de leche into an air-tight container. Store in the refrigerator

Pate Sucree

Ingredients

• 375 g All purpose flour
• 46 g Powdered sugar
• 94 g Powdered sugar
• 47 g Almond flour*
• 225 g Unsalted butter – room temp
• 1/2 Vanilla bean
• 56 g Eggs

*can sub for hazelnut flour

Method

1. Place the flour in a bowl. Sift in the 46 grams of powdered sugar and the almond flour
2. Place the butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Put on medium-low speed until the butter is soft and creamy
3. Add the second scaling of sugar (94g) to the butter and mix just to incorporate. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 1 min
4. Scrape the side of the bowl and add the vanilla, mix to combine
5. Add the dry ingredients in two additions and mix until just combined
6. Add the eggs and mix on low for about 30-45 seconds
7. The dough should be smooth and all ingredients should be incorporated
8. Divide the dough in half and wrap it in plastic. Chill until firm, at least two hours, or overnight. The dough can also be frozen for up to 3 months at this point

To Roll and Bake

1. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper
2. Remove the dough from the fridge and allow to temper for a few mins
3. Roll the dough between two pieces of parchment paper to help with sticking. Roll the dough from the center outward rotating and flipping the dough over frequently
4. If the dough becomes too soft to work with, place it back in the fridge for a few mins to firm up
5. Line a tart pan with the dough by placing the dough on the pan and easing it into the corners and by flattening the bottom. Make sure that your edges and bottom are even thickness
6. With a paring knife trim any excess dough from the top of the tart pan
7. Chill the tart until firm before baking
8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
9. Line the tart with parchment paper or cheesecloth and fill it with raw rice or beans. This will weigh the pastry and help keep the tart flat while baking
10. Bake the tart until the edges are slightly golden. Carefully remove the weights and continue to bake a few mins longer
11. Cool and fill tart shells. Or store unfilled start shells in a cool dry place for 1-3 days until needed

Apple Tart Assembly

Ingredients

• Baked tart shell
• Apple butter
• Dulce de Leche
• Poached apples
• Garnishes
• Gold leaf
• Crumble
• Chantilly cream
• Apple jelly for glaze

Method

1. Pipe a thin layer of dulce de leche on the bottom of the tart shell, be sure to cover the entire bottom of the tart
2. Pipe or spread a layer of apple butter on top of the dulce de leche. Be mindful not to overfill the tart and leave room for the apples
3. Arrange the poached apple balls around the tart in a circle filling in all the empty space and covering all of the apple butter
4. You may garnish the tart as you like. Warming the apple jelly to be used as a glaze will add shine to the finished tart. Adding a crumble will give the tart crunch and the Chantilly will add a creamy component
5. You can apply a few touches of gold leaf for an additional garnish
6. This tart is best served soon after it is assembled after a few hours the tart shell with start to soften

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