The Starving Musician Recipes
Autumn Apple Tart with
Amaretto Cream
Serves 8
This is a deceptively easy dessert to make. Slicing the apples by hand is the most
time consuming part. If you have a food processor, use the medium slicing disk. A
mandoline would also work well.
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11-inch pie crust, pre-baked and cooled (Psst!
For this apple tart, Pillsbury All-Ready Pie Crust dough is fine. No one
will be able to tell. Roll one and a half dough packets together to fill
an 11" quiche pan, preferably with a removable bottom, then bake as
directed on the package. Springform pan available from
Chefsresource.com.)
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1 Tablespoon unsalted (sweet) butter, cut into small bits
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2 lbs. Jonathan, Jonagold, or Granny Smith Apples (about 8) peeled, cored, halved, and
cut into uniform, medium-thin slices
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1 Tablespoon sugar if using Jonathan apples, 3 Tablespoons if using Jonagold or Granny
Smith
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1 teaspoon cinnamon (I like Spice Islands brand)
-
1 teaspoon nutmeg, preferably freshly-grated
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3/4 cup heavy cream (no substitute; you need the heavy cream so it will thicken properly)
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2 Tablespoons sugar
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1 large egg, plus l large egg yolk*
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1 Tablespoon best-quality vanilla extract
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1 Tablespoon Amaretto (I
use Disaronno Originale)
-
dash salt
Equipment:
-
rolling pin to roll out crust to fit quiche pan
-
11 inch
quiche pan, preferably with
removable bottom
-
cutting board
-
paring knife
-
apple corer or melon baller
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chef's knife, mandoline, or food processor fitted with medium slicing disk
-
small mixing bowl
-
spoon
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measuring spoons
-
medium mixing bowl
-
liquid measuring cup
-
whisk or egg beater
Preheat oven to 400F. Oven rack should be in the middle position.
If you're using a removable bottom pan, nest the pan containing the baked
piecrust in a square of aluminum foil and gently bring halfway up the sides
to prevent leaking.
Dot the prebaked pastry crust with butter.
For a rustic tart: Pile apple slices into crust. For a gourmet
tart: place imperfect apple slices on crust, then arrange remaining slices on
top, in concentric circles with slices overlapping each other slightly.
In small bowl combine sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg; sprinkle evenly over apples. Bake 400F
35 minutes.
In medium mixing bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup heavy cream, 2 Tablespoons sugar, egg and
egg yolk, vanilla extract, Disoronno, and salt. After tart has baked 35 minutes, pour this
mixture over apples to within 1/8 inch of the top edge of the crust, taking care not to
overfill it. Bake 20 minutes more. Center of custard may appear wet but will firm upon
standing. Serve at room temperature or slightly warm. Store leftovers in the fridge.
*If you've never separated an egg, here's an easy way: crack the egg into a small
bowl or
coffee cup without breaking the yolk. Using a larger bowl to catch the white, pour the egg
into your hand, separating your fingers just enough to let the white run through until
you're left holding the yolk. Toss it into your mixing bowl, and you're good to go.
Creative options: Use Calvados instead of Amaretto, and this becomes
Normandy Apple Tart. Or, use rum.
Recipes ©2003 Randi Reed
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