Honey-Glazed Apple Tart
Makes one 9-inch tart
Adapted from Essential Pépin
For the crust:
1 1/4 cups (156 grams) flour
1 teaspoon (4 grams) sugar
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (85 grams) butter, room-temperature and cut into six pieces
1/4 cup (62 ml) milk
For the filling:
4 medium-sized apples (I used Fuji, which is a sweet and firm variety)
2 tablespoons (24 grams) sugar
1 teaspoon (4 grams) cinnamon
1/3 cup (83 ml) honey
1 tablespoon (14 grams) butter, room-temperature
Crème fraîche, for serving
Preheat the oven to 400. In a medium bowl combine the sugar and cinnamon for the filling and set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and use your fingers to rub it into the flour. When most of the butter has been combined, rub the mixture together gently between your palms until it feels and looks sandy, and all the butter has been incorporated. This should take several minutes.
Heat the milk in a small saucepan over low heat until lukewarm (or you can do this in the microwave) being careful not to let the mixture boil. Pour the milk into the flour mixture all at once and stir quickly using a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms. It will be quite sticky. Transfer the dough to a tart pan and use your fingers to press it evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Set aside.
Peel, halve and core the apples. Place them cut side down on the cutting board and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Set aside the larger center slices. Coarsely chop the remaining end slices and any that have broken, then toss them in the sugar/cinnamon mixture. About half the slices should be sliced and half chopped.
Spread the chopped apples evenly into the bottom of the prepared crust. Layer the slices in overlapping concentric circles. You may have a few slices left over (which would be perfect for snack time!) but just try to fit as many apples as will comfortably fit in the pan.
Gently heat the honey in a small saucepan – or microwave – until it has thinned slightly and is just warm. Drizzle about half the warm honey over the top of the tart (save the rest for a post-oven drizzle) and dot with the remaining tablespoon of butter. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until the crust has browned and the apples have softened.
Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. Drizzle with the remaining honey. Serve warm or at room temperature with a dollop of crème fraîche.
