Fresh Apple Pie

Life is short, eat dessert first! Crisp and delicious on the outside, sweet and soft in the inside, this amazing fresh apple pie is the perfect dessert if you have the tastes for a sweet treat. Enjoy with a cup of tea and a bunch of good friends—so simple, but so delicious!

Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com

Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com

Ingredients list for the apple tart

For the pastry:

• 2 1/2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup (75g) granulated sugar
• 12 tablespoons (11/2 sticks – 175g) cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1 egg

For the apple sauce

• 3 apples
• 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon (5 ml) water
• Cinnamon powder (optional)

For the garnish

• 4 Granny Smith apples
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoons (1/2 stick – 60g) cold unsalted butter, small diced
• Cinnamon powder (optional)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com

Directions

The pastry
1. 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, add the egg and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. You can do these steps by hands, but make sure not to overwork the dough. Dump onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (ideally overnight).

2. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Butter and flour a 8-inch tart pan. Roll the dough and place the on the tart pan and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

3. Cover the tart shell with parchment paper or baking beads and blind bake for 10 minutes.

The apple sauce
1. Peel, core and dice the apples. Transfer to a sauce pan with sugar, water and cinnamon. Cover and simmer until apples are cooked through. Mash with a fork or an immersion blender and allow to cool a bit

2. Line the bottom of the tart shell with the apple sauce.

The apple garnish
1. 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 and arrange them overlapping in two concentric circles until the apple sauce is covered. Sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon and dot with butter.

2. Bake for 45 minutes at 350°F (180°C), until the pastry is browned and the edges of the apples start to brown. Rotate the pan once during baking. When the tart is done, take out of the oven and allow to chill. Brush the tart with a bit of maple syrup. Loosen the tart with a metal spatula and allow to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips: Don’t overwork the apple pie dough with your hand as it tends to heat the butter. After each manipulation, refrigerate the dough for 10 minutes.