Food Processor Apple Tart

LOW-SUGAR APPLE TART RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Make the crust: In a food processor, blend the oats into a coarse powder.
• Add the butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook until nutty brown in color, 5-6 minutes. Once the butter has browned, add the ground oats, flour, salt, and water, and mix to combine. Let cool for 5 minutes.
• Transfer the crust mixture to a 9-inch (20 cm) tart pan, spreading evenly across the bottom and up the sides. Chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375˚F (190˚C).
• Make the filling: Place the apples in a large microwave-safe bowl and squeeze the lemon juice over, then toss to coat. Microwave for 4 minutes. Cover with a plate and let steam for 5 minutes.
• Season the apples with the cinnamon and nutmeg, and toss to coat.
• Spread the applesauce over the bottom of the crust.
• Starting from the outside and working inward, arrange the apples in the pan in a circular pattern with the curved side up. Begin with the larger slices, overlapping slightly, and continue until the entire crust is filled. Brush the apples with the melted butter.
• Bake for 1 hour, checking occasionally. If the edges are browning too quickly, cover gently with foil to prevent further browning as the tart cooks through.
• If using, microwave the apricot jam for 20-30 seconds to melt. Use a pastry brush to paint the apricot jam over the warm tart for a nice, shiny finish.
• Let the tart cool to room temperature before slicing and serving.
• Enjoy!

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.

RUSTIC FRENCH APPLE TART

Steps:

• Make the crust: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the flour, salt and sugar. Pulse briefly to combine. Add the cold butter and process just until the butter is the size of peas, about 5 seconds. Sprinkle the ice water over the mixture and process just until moistened and very crumbly, about 5 seconds. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead a few times, just until it comes together into a cohesive ball. Pat the dough into a disk. Flour your work surface again and dust the dough with flour, as well. Using a rolling pin, roll into a circle 8 to 10 inches in diameter, turning and adding more flour as necessary so the dough doesn't stick. Transfer the dough to the parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate while you prepare the filling (you'll roll the dough out further on the parchment paper so go ahead and clean your work surface).
• Make the Filling: Peel, core, and cut the apples into ⅛-inch-thick slices (you should have about 4 cups) and place in a large bowl. Add the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, melted butter, and salt; toss to combine.
• Take the dough from the fridge and slide the parchment paper onto the countertop. Roll the dough, directly on the parchment paper, into a 14-inch circle about ⅛ inch thick. It's fine if the edges are a little ragged. Place the parchment and dough back on the baking sheet - the pastry should curve up the lip of the pan.
• Assemble the tart: Sprinkle the flour evenly over the pastry. Arrange the apple slices on top in overlapping concentric circles to within 3 inches of the edge. Don't worry about making it look perfect! It doesn't make much difference in the end and you don't want the dough to get too warm. Fold the edges of the dough over the apples in a free-form fashion, working your way around and creating pleats as you go. Patch up any tears by pinching a bit of dough from the edge.
• Using a pastry brush, brush the pleated dough evenly with the beaten egg. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the turbinado sugar over the top crust and 1 tablespoon over the fruit. Chill the assembled tart in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the center position.
• Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the crust is golden and cooked through. (It's okay if some of the juices leak from the tart onto the pan. The juices will burn on the pan but the tart should be fine -- just scrape any burnt bits away from the tart once it's baked.) Transfer the pan to a rack and let cool.
• While the tart cools, make the optional glaze. In a small bowl, mix the apricot jam with 1½ teaspoons water. Heat in the microwave until bubbling, about 20 seconds. Using a pastry brush, brush the apples with the apricot syrup.
• Use two large spatulas to transfer the tart to a serving plate or cutting board. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature. The tart is best served on the day it is made, but leftovers will keep, loosely covered on the countertop, for a few days.
• Note: Be sure to use baking apples that hold their shape when cooked, such as Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Fuji, Granny Smith, or Golden Delicious. And use a mix of different varietals for the best flavor.
• Make Ahead: The dough can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated. Allow it to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes or until pliable before rolling.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The assembled tart may be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, place the baking sheet in the freezer until the tart is frozen, then wrap tightly. (Wait until right before baking the tart to brush the beaten egg and sprinkle the sugar onto the crust.) Bake directly from the freezer. (It may take a few extra minutes to bake from frozen.)

FOOD-PROCESSOR APPLE TART

Steps:

• Put flour, salt and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in food processor and pulse once or twice. Add 10 tablespoons of the butter, leaving the remaining tablespoon of butter at room temperature to soften. Process until the mixture is uniform, about 10 seconds (do not over-process). Add egg yolk and process for another few seconds. Add 3 tablespoons ice water and pulse just until you can form the dough into a ball, adding another tablespoon or two of ice water if necessary (if you overdo it and the mixture becomes sodden, add a little more flour). Form into a ball, wrap in plastic and freeze for 10 minutes or refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. You can refrigerate it for up to a couple of days or freeze, tightly wrapped, for up to a couple of weeks.
• Put dough on floured surface and roll into a circle with a diameter about 2 inches greater than that of an 8- to 10-inch tart pan. Transfer dough to pan, pressing it into the corners and sides and using a knife to cut the edges flush with the rim of the pan. Freeze for 30 minutes or refrigerate for about an hour.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Prick surface of dough several times with a fork. Butter one side of a piece of foil large enough to cover crust; press foil onto crust, buttered side down. Weight foil with a pile of dried beans or rice or pie weights. Bake for 12 minutes; remove from oven and remove weights and foil. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking the crust until golden brown, another 10 minutes or so. Remove crust from oven and turn oven to 375 degrees.
• Peel and core apples, then slice with slicing blade of a food processor. Toss with lemon juice to prevent browning. When crust has cooled slightly, arrange apple slices in concentric circles in tart shell, with circles overlapping. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon, then dot with remaining tablespoon butter.
• Put tart pan on baking sheet and bake until apples are quite soft (a thin-bladed knife will pierce them easily) but still hold their shape, about 40 minutes. Cool on rack for about 20 minutes. Serve at room temperature.

APPLE TART 'MAMAN BLANC'

Steps:

• For the pastry, pulse together the flour, butter and a pinch of sea salt in a food processor until it reaches a sandy texture. Add the egg, 1 tsp cold water and pulse again briefly. If you over-mix the dough at this stage it will lose its flakiness. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead with the palms of your hands for 30 secs, or until smooth and well combined. With the palm of your hand, flatten the dough slightly to 1cm thickness, then sandwich it between 2 large sheets of cling film. Place on a baking tray and chill for 30 mins.
• Roll the chilled dough, still sandwiched in cling film, to a 2mm thickness. Place a 22cm/3-4cm deep loose-bottomed cake tin on a baking tray. (Or use a 22cm/2-3cm deep tart ring and place on a greaseproof-lined baking tray.) Remove the top layer of cling film. Carefully pick up the dough and place it into the tin with the second layer of cling film facing up. Lift and tuck the dough into the edges of the tin and discard the cling film. By tucking in the base you minimise the shrinking of the dough during cooking. Trim off any excess with a rolling pin. Using your index finger and thumb, pinch and press the dough until it is 2mm above the tin all around the edge. Prick the bottom of the tart with a fork. Chill in the fridge for 20 mins.
• Meanwhile, for the filling, heat the butter, lemon juice and 15g of the caster sugar in a small saucepan until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the Calvados. Set aside. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Place a baking sheet into the oven to pre-heat.
• Arrange the apple segments in concentric circles over the chilled base, overlapping the apple slices as you go. Brush the apples all over with the Calvados mixture. Slide the tin or tart ring (on its lining paper) onto the pre-heated baking sheet and bake for 10 mins. Reduce the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6, then continue to cook for 15-20 mins more.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the double cream, egg and the remaining 50g caster sugar until well combined. After the 15-20 mins baking - when the pastry is pale golden brown and the apples have started to caramelise - sprinkle the tart with the 1 tbsp caster sugar, then pour the custard mixture into the tart. Bake for a further 10 mins until the filling has just set.
• To serve, remove the tart from the oven and set aside for 1 hr to cool slightly. Carefully remove the tin or tart ring and serve immediately with crème fraîche.

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. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Roll the dough slightly larger than 10x14 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 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.