The Sweetest Kitchen

This recipe comes from a KitchenAid stand mixer instruction manual; the photo looked so nice that I knew I would eventually get around to making it.  It’s a rustic apple tart and includes making your own pie crust, which is something I’ve never done before.

It actually ended up being quite easy, although I wish I would have added one more tablespoon of water to the dough (it says to add 5-6 tablespoons of water and I added 5).

For the apple filling, the recipe calls for 2 1/2 pounds, or 6 large tart apples.  I found that this was way too much apple.  I mounded the apples in the center of the pie crust, thinking that it must cook down and shrink quite a bit.  The tart in the photo does not have a mound of apple filling anywhere near as large as mine was!

Well, everything turned out quite nice, except I didn’t get a nice brown pie crust.  Maybe I should have brushed it with egg before baking?  I didn’t get a photo of the freshly baked tart because it was late at night and there wasn’t enough light to get a post-worthy photo.  I did get this photo today though at lunchtime of a slice of the tart with a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream.

It is a really nice-tasting apple tart though.  It was definitely worth making and I’m quite sure I’ll be making it again, although I’m going to use less apples; maybe I’ll try 4 large apples, instead of 6.

KitchenAid Pie Pastry
Adapted from KitchenAid stand mixer instruction manual
Makes 2  8- or 9-inch pie crusts

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening, well-chilled
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, well-chilled
5 to 6 tablespoons cold water

Method
Place flour and salt in mixer bowl.  Attach bowl and flat beater to mixer.  Turn to stir speed and mix about 15 seconds.  Cut shortening and butter into pieces and add to flour mixture.  Turn to stir speed and mix until shortening particles are size of small peas, about 30 to 45 seconds.

Continuing on stir speed, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until ingredients are moistened and dough begins to hold together.  Divide dough in  half.  Pat each half into a smooth ball and flatten slightly.  Wrap in plastic wrap.  Chill in refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Rustic Apple Tart
Adapted from KitchenAid stand mixer instruction manual
Serves 8

Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds (about 6 large) tart green apples, peeled, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust (see above recipe, or use your own)

Method
Toss together apples, lemon juice and granulated sugar.  Set aside.

Place all remaining ingredients, except pie crust, in mixer bowl.  Attach bowl and flat beater to mixer.  Turn to speed 2 (or low) and mix until crumbly.  Set aside.

Roll out pie crust into a 13-inch circle.  Transfer to baking sheet (it’s okay if pastry hangs over edge of baking sheet).

Gently mound apples in center of pastry, leaving a 2-inch border of dough on all sides.  Sprinkle apples with cinnamon sugar mixture.  Fold pastry up over filling, pleating as necessary to fit snugly around apples.  Gently press dough to filling, reinforcing shape.

Bake at 400F until pastry is golden brown and apples are tender, for about 30 minutes.  Cool tart on baking sheet on wire rack for 10 minutes; serve warm.