I cook a little more with feeling than with precise measurements. I’ve tried to provide quantities where possible but you need to just begin and alter the ingredients to your taste. This is a tart I make frequently and always get great compliments. The only ingredient that you may not find in the USA is “vanilla sugar”. * I have enclosed a picture so you can ask at your local market. It’s an ingredient that we use frequently in Europe in our cooking. You can always substitute vanilla extract or vanilla bean to your taste.
In Europe we also have a large selection of pre-packaged dough to choose from. We can purchase sweet or savory, flaky or non-flaky. I have not yet found a pre-packaged dough in the USA that I like so you can follow my instructions for making yours from scratch.
DOUGH PREPARATION
150G Flour
1 pinch Salt
50G Sugar
100G Unsalted butter (very cold, cut into pieces)
1 Egg small
Add the first three ingredients. Incorporate the cold butter in 1T chunks and lighty work it into the dough making sure not to kneed too much. This should give you a fluffy, crumbly texture. Add the egg and kneed once again. Stop when the ingredients are incorporated and do not kneed too much as this will make the dough tough. Make a round ball with the dough and press it flat. Cover with plastic wrap or whatever you have on hand. Put flattened dough ball into the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 428F or 220C
1Kilo Apples. Golden or Cortland
1/2C Almond Meal. This I can find at Trader Joe’s in the USA. If you don’t have a TJ’s near you or if you can’t find this in your grocery store you can make a “mealy” powder by putting unsalted, skin on, almonds in a blender. Just make sure not to blend too fine or you will end up with almond flour or worse “almond butter” and not almond meal.
Vanilla Sugar or vanilla extract. * one packet or if you are using extract, to taste
1/2C Heavy Cream
Lemon Zest
Brown Sugar (enough for a light sprinkling and to your taste)
1 Egg.
Take the dough out of the refrigerator and roll it out to fit your pan. Sprinkle the Almond Meal on the bottom. Peel and section the apples. Arrange in the pan. Sprinkle the Brown Sugar and Lemon Zest over the apples. Put the tart 10 minutes in the oven. Remove from oven. In separate bowl combine Cream/Vanilla Sugar/Egg. Pour over the tart. Cook for 20-25 minutes more.
Fraenzi
