Apple Tartlets With Cinnamon Balsamic Syrup And Butter Toffee Ice Cream Food

TOFFEE APPLE TART

Steps:

• Put the unopened tins of condensed milk in a high-sided pan, covered with water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 3 hours with a lid on top. It's very important to remember to keep checking the pan, as you don't want it to boil dry - otherwise the tins will explode. It will give you the most amazing toffee. Put the tins to one side and allow to cool.
• To make the pastry, score the vanilla pod lengthways (if using), and scape out the seeds (keep the pod for making vanilla sugar).
• Cream the butter, icing sugar and a small pinch of sea salt together, then rub in the flour. Add the vanilla seeds, finely grate in the lemon zest and add the egg yolks - you can do all this by hand or in a food processor.
• When the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs, add the cold milk (or use water).
• Pat and gently work the mixture together until you have a ball of dough, then flour it lightly and roll into a large sausage shape - don't work the pastry too much otherwise it will become elastic and chewy, not flaky and short as you want it to be.
• Wrap the dough in clingfilm and place in the fridge to rest for at least 1 hour.
• Remove it from the fridge, slice it up and line a 28cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Push the slices together, then tidy up the sides by trimming off any excess. Place the tart mould into the freezer for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4, then take the pastry case out of the freezer and bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
• Peel and quarter the apples and remove the cores, then finely slice and toss in the icing sugar.
• Spread the caramel from both tins over the pastry case. Place the apples on top and pour any remaining juices over.
• Bake at the bottom of the oven for 40 minutes, to give you a crisp base and bubbling toffee over the apples. Serve with yoghurt or vanilla ice cream. Beautiful!

CLASSIC APPLE TART

Steps:

• Set the cubed butter on a plate and place it in the freezer for 15 minutes. Fill a cup with ice and water and set aside. Place 1 1/2 of the flour, 1 8 teaspoon of the salt, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Take the butter out of the freezer and add it to the flour. Pulse the mixture until it looks like wet sand, about 10 seconds. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the ice water and pulse until the dough comes together into a ball.
• Lightly flour your work surface and place the dough on top. Then lightly flour the top of the dough and roll to about a 10- to 11-inch circle, sprinkling more flour under and on top of the dough as necessary. Gently drape the dough over the rolling pin and transfer it to a 9- or 9 1/2-inch fluted tart pan (ideally one with a removable bottom). Fit the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan as evenly as possible and press off excess dough from the fluted rim. Set the tart pan on a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350degreesF. Peel, core, and quarter the apples and then thinly slice them lengthwise. Place the apples in a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice, the cinnamon, and the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 8 teaspoon salt. Remove the baking sheet with the tart shell from the refrigerator. Arrange the apples in concentric circles so they overlap slightly. Brush the edges of the crust with the melted butter and then bake until the edges are golden and the apples have cooked down, about 1 hour. Cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

APPLE PIE TARTLETS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll out crust; cut into twenty 2-1/2-in. circles. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of miniature muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Prick crusts with a fork. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over crusts. , Bake until golden brown, 6-8 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks., In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add apples; cook and stir over medium heat until crisp-tender, 4-5 minutes. Stir in sugar, caramel topping, flour, cinnamon, lemon juice and salt. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until sauce is thickened and apples are tender, about 2 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. Spoon into tart shells.

FRENCH APPLE TART

Steps:

• For the pastry, place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add the butter and pulse 10 to 12 times, until the butter is in small bits the size of peas. With the motor running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Roll the dough slightly larger than 10 by 14-inches. Using a ruler and a small knife, trim the edges. Place the dough on the prepared sheet pan and refrigerate while you prepare the apples.
• Peel the apples and cut them in half through the stem. Remove the stems and cores with a sharp knife and a melon baller. Slice the apples crosswise in 1/4-inch thick slices. Place overlapping slices of apples diagonally down the middle of the tart and continue making diagonal rows on both sides of the first row until the pastry is covered with apple slices. (I tend not to use the apple ends in order to make the arrangement beautiful.) Sprinkle with the full 1/2 cup of sugar and dot with the butter.
• Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the pastry is browned and the edges of the apples start to brown. Rotate the pan once during cooking. If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to let the air out. Don't worry! The apple juices will burn in the pan but the tart will be fine! When the tart's done, heat the apricot jelly together with the Calvados and brush the apples and the pastry completely with the jelly mixture. Loosen the tart with a metal spatula so it doesn't stick to the paper. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.

FRESH APPLE TARTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together flour, 1 1/4 cups sugar, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Mix in eggs and vanilla extract until dough forms a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour but not more than 1 day.
• While the dough is chilling, prepare the apple filling.
• In a medium bowl, toss diced apples with sugar and cinnamon. Mix in walnuts.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 16 3-inch tart pans. Remove tart dough from the refrigerator and let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling out.
• Knead dough briefly on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 16 equal portions. Roll each portion into a 6-inch circle, and carefully fit one circle into each tart pan.
• Spoon an equal amount of apple mixture into each tart pan. Fold pastry over filling. Place filled tarts on a baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Melt apricot jam and brush over finished tarts, if desired.

CINNAMON APPLE TARTLETS

Steps:

• Separate crescent dough into four rectangles; place on an ungreased baking sheet. Seal perforations. Sprinkle with 3 teaspoons cinnamon-sugar. , Bake at 375° for 5 minutes. Arrange apple slices over dough; sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar. Bake 5-8 minutes longer or until golden brown. Serve warm.