I frequently make homemade pie crust and my Rustic Apple Tart is always a hit. But what if you don't have the 1 hour you need to let the pie crust chill? Well, you can make a beautiful and utterly fabulous bake shop worthy apple tart in minutes! Top it with ice cream and - well- it is just hard to beat. I recently made this recipe during my demo at the Fabulous Food Show in Cleveland, Ohio and have had a ton of requests for the recipe--so here you go!
QUICK APPLE TART WITH PUFF PASTRY CRUST
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup granulated sugar
pinch of allspice
pinch of kosher salt
pinch of ground black pepper
2 large apples, cored, peeled and sliced thin with a mandolin(Braeburn work well)
1 lemon, juiced
1 sheet of packaged puff pastry, thawed to package direction
2-3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup Confectioners sugar (maybe a bit more depending on the size of the tart)
DIRECTIONS:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to the temperature recommended by the manufacturer for the puff pastry, usually 400F.
Mix the granulated sugar, allspice, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Set aside.
Pell and slice the apples and squeeze the lemon juice over them to stop any browning.
Dust your work surface with a bit of the flour and rolling pin. Lightly roll out the puff pastry and then use a dinner plate as a template to cut it into a circle. (you can make a square but the round is prettier- square more rustic) Place onto the prepared baking sheet.
Dock (prick holes in it) the puff pastry with a fork to prevent it from puffing up too much during the cooking process.
Place the apple slices on a paper towel to blot off excess moisture before you begin to arrange them on the puff pastry. Arrange the apples in a circle; start on the outside and work towards the inside, slightly overlapping as you go. Use a pastry brush to cover the entire surface of the apples with the softened butter. Cover that with the sugar mixture.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and apples are tender.
Remove and immediately dust the top of the apples with the Confectioners sugar using a fine mesh sieve. Use a torch to caramelize the sugar or put under the broiler for 1-2 minutes. Serve with a scoop of Dulce de Leche or caramel ice cream.