For those of you that just aren’t quite ready to attempt making a pie from scratch, I have the perfect alternative for you today, this rustic apple tart. It has all the cinnamony, apple flavors of a homemade apple pie, but without all the work.
For some reason making a pie is so intimidating for many folks. I think it’s the pie crust that everyone seems to think is so hard to make. In actuality it’s really not that hard. Once you’ve made a pie crust you will be wondering what you are so afraid of to begin with. You really don’t have to be a pastry chef to make a decent pie crust.
Yes, you make this crust completely from scratch, but it’s the easiest crust you will ever make! I guarantee it! The secret is using a food processor to make the crust. Super, super easy to make. It does all the hard work for you. You can’t mess this one up even if you try.
I encourage you to make this for your Thanksgiving table. You will have bragging rights that you made it all by yourself from scratch, and nobody has to know how extremely easy it was to make. We can keep that secret just between us…ok?
Thank you to Jenn Segal at Once Upon A Chef for this wonderful recipe!
What makes this the perfect recipe for your Thanksgiving table is that you can make the tart ahead of time in the morning and it can hang out in the fridge until you are ready to bake it. Pop it in the oven when everyone is at the table gobbling up their Thanksgiving dinner. When they are done eating, you will be pulling out this delectable tart from the oven just in time serve up dessert. Top each slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to melt down all over this apple cinnamon goodness…oh my my!!!
Pumpkin Pie may just have to give up it’s seat as king of the Thanksgiving desserts! Move over pumpkin pie, this rustic apple tart is definitely going to give you a run for the money!!!
Gather together the ingredients you need and let’s get started by making the crust for the tart.
Yes we are going to start with the scariest part first and get it out of the way. Trust me, you are going to laugh once you see how easy this part is.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
Place flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of your food processor.
Add 1 1/2 sticks of very cold unsalted butter.
Cut butter into thin slices and place it in the bowl of the food processor.
Pulse until butter is incorporated into the flour and resembles small peas.
Sprinkle the ice water over the flour mixture and pulse just until moistened and dough is very crumbly, about 5 seconds.
Sprinkle a little flour onto your work surface.
Dump the dough out onto your floured work surface.
Knead the dough with your hands a few times, just until the dough comes together into a cohesive ball.
Add additional flour to your work surface and dust the top of the dough with some flour.
Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a circle about 8 to 10 inches in diameter. Turn the dough as you roll it out, adding more flour if needed so the dough doesn’t stick.
Transfer the dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and place it in the refrigerator.
See I told you that making the dough was super, super easy. This is the hardest part to making this tart.
While the dough is chilling in the fridge, it’s time to make the filling.
Peel, core and cut apples into ⅛ inch thick slices and place them in a large bowl.
Add the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and melted butter. Toss to coat the apple slices.
Filling done ✔️. You still with me so far? Nothing difficult or complicated, right?
Now it’s time to assemble the tart.
Remove the dough from the fridge and slide the parchment paper off the cookie sheet and directly onto your work surface.
Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough on the parchment paper into a 14-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Don’t worry if the edges are a little ragged.
Slide the parchment paper with the dough on it back on the baking sheet (the pastry will curve up the lip of the pan a little bit on the sides).
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour evenly over the pastry, smooth it out with your fingers.
Arrange the apple slices on the dough. Overlap slices in a circle, starting in the center and working your way out to about 3 inches from the edge.
Fold the edges of the dough up and over the apples in a free-form fashion. Fold the dough towards the center, working all the way around, creating pleats as you go. Patch up any tears by pinching the dough together.
Use a pastry brush to brush the pleated dough evenly with beaten egg.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the Demerara sugar over the top crust and 1 tablespoon over the apple slices.
Chill the tart in the fridge for 30 minutes.
While the tart is chilling in the fridge, preheat your oven to 350° F.
Bake chilled tart for 65 to 75 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the crust is a rich golden brown. Center of the tart should be bubbly to ensure the apples are cooked through and tender.
Cool tart on cookie sheet.
When ready to serve, use two large spatulas to slide the tart to a pretty serving platter or large wooden cutting board.
Slice and serve warm or at room temperature. Delicious served with either freshly whipped cream or served a la mode with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Best served the day it’s made. Can be stored at room temperature, covered for a couple of days, if it lasts that long.
🛑 Don’t top your beautiful creation with whipped cream from a can! Make it fresh in just a couple minutes! Learn how easy it is to make it from scratch.
This is such an easy to make recipe that’s absolutely scrumptious! Once you try this, I guarantee you will be making this rustic apple tart for more occasions than just Thanksgiving. Anytime you are planning on entertaining this tart makes the perfect dessert. This one is a must try recipe!!!
Rustic French Apple Tart
Equipment
- Parchment paper
- Food processor
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1½ cup flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1½ sticks very cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- ¼ cup very cold water
For the filling:
- 1¾ lbs Granny Smith apples
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ tsp salt
Assemble and bake tart:
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 tbsp Demerara sugar
Instructions
Make the crust for the tart:
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
- Add flour, salt, sugar and very cold butter to a food processor. Pulse until butter is incorporated into the flour and resembles small peas.
- Sprinkle the ice water over the flour mixture and pulse just until moistened and dough is very crumbly, about 5 seconds.
- Pour dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.
- Knead the dough with your hands a few times, just until the dough comes together into a cohesive ball and form the dough into a disk.
- Add additional flour to your work surface and dust the top of the dough with some flour.
- Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a circle about 8 to 10 inches in diameter. Turn the dough as you roll it out, add more flour if needed so the dough doesn’t stick.
- Transfer the dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and place it in the refrigerator.
Make the tart filling:
- Peel, core and cut apples into ⅛ inch thick slices and place them in a large bowl.
- Add the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, melted butter, and salt. Toss to coat the apple slices.
Assemble the tart:
- Remove dough from the fridge and slide the parchment paper off the cookie sheet and onto your worksurface.
- Using a rolling pin, roll the dough (leave it on the parchment paper) into a 14-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Don't worry if the edges are a little ragged.
- Slide the parchment paper with the dough back on the baking sheet (the pastry will curve up the lip of the pan a little bit).
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour evenly over the pastry, smoothing it out with your fingers.
- Arrange the apple slices on the dough. Overlap slices in a circle, starting in the center and working your way out to about 3 inches from the edge.
- Fold the edges of the dough up and over the apples in a free-form fashion. Fold dough towards the center, working all the way around, creating pleats as you go. Patch up any tears by pinching the dough together.
- Use a pastry brush to brush the pleated dough evenly with beaten egg.
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the Demerara sugar over the top crust and 1 tablespoon over the apple slices.
- Chill the tart in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Bake the tart:
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Bake chilled tart for 65-75 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the crust is a rich golden brown. Center should be bubbly.
- Cool tart on cookie sheet.
To serve the tart:
- Use two large spatulas to transfer the tart to a pretty serving platter or large wooden cutting board.
- Slice and serve warm or at room temperature. Delicious served with either freshly whipped cream or served a la mode with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Best served the day it's made. Can be stored at room temperature, covered for a few days.
Did You Make This?
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