The Flavors of Fall with the Rustic Apple Tart

Azure

Rountree

Fun,

Delicious and

Festive

As Autumn ushers in this month, so does the aroma of apples and cinnamon, filling the air and creating a sense of nostalgia. What better way to beckon a new season than with the Rustic Apple Tart. This scrumptious pastry has tender apples bathed in a syrupy sauce all wrapped up in a buttered crust, then sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, making it a delicious Fall classic.

Dough: 1 1/3 cups All-Purpose Flour 1/4 teaspoon Salt 6 Tablespoons cold Unsalted Butter 4 Tablespoons Ice Water 2 inch Fall Leaf Cookie Cutter (optional) In a large mixing bowl, blend together the flour and salt. With a pastry cutter or a fork, work in the cold butter until it looks like the texture of cornmeal. Add the ice water and blend together with hands until the dough comes together and you have a firm ball. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes. Lay out a 10×15 inch or larger rimmed pan.

Remove dough from the fridge and dust a work surface with flour as well as a rolling pin. Roll dough to an 1/8 inch thickness and into a 13 inch circle. Trim around the circle removing the scraps for the fall leaves. Place the dough in the center of the pan. Using the cookie cutter, cut out the fall leaves and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and prepare the filling and topping. Filling: 3 ½ cups peeled & thinly sliced Granny Smith Apples 1/3 cup packed Light Brown Sugar 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch 3/4 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon 1/2 Tablespoon Water 1/2 Tablespoon Lemon Juice Add the apples to a large mixing bowl. Stir together the light brown sugar, cornstarch and ground cinnamon, then pour over the apples. Add the water and lemon juice, then stir everything together and carefully place in the center of the dough. Pull the border of the dough up towards the center making sure to pleat the dough to fit around the apples. Place the fall leaves in a circle around the center of the dough. If you do not have a fall leaf cookie cutter, you can omit the part above about trimming the edges and just use all of the dough. Topping: 1 large Egg White (beaten) 1 Tablespoon Sugar 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon Brush the pastry with the egg white. Combine the sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle over the pastry and apples. Bake on the 3rd (middle) rack for around 40 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

*Please note that if your tart is browning too much, cover it with foil and continue cooking. I covered mine after 35 minutes of baking, but every oven is different, so make sure to watch it. Also, I find that it works best if you use a large metal spatula to remove the tart from the pan and then place it on a serving dish. Garnish with mint if desired.

Kid Friendly Recipes from the Kitchen of Azure Rountree is available at The Advance. A portion of the proceeds from every book sold will go to benefit children with special needs.

Rustic Apple Tart