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Fruit Custard Pies and Tarts Making an Alsatian Apple Tart

Alsatian Apple Tart
Custard is a liquid mixture that contains eggs and sets when
This is a traditional Alsatian apple tart. You can adapt the
it is cooked. The best-known custards, such as crème brulée
recipe to use virtually any fruit. Just cook the fruit on the
or crème caramel, are made with milk or cream, but custards
stove or in the oven before you bake it in a tart surrounded
can also be made with purees of fruit or vegetables—a pump-
with this simple vanilla custard. The vanilla bean is optional,
kin pie, for example, is filled with pumpkin custard. Any
but it elevates this tart’s flavor into higher realms.
fruit can be used to make a fruit custard; the sugar should
be adjusted according to how sweet the fruit is. The custard Makes one 9 1 / 2 -inch tart
fillings for fruit custard tarts and pies are very similar to
1 recipe sweetened basic pie and tart pastry dough
fruit curds except that fruit curds are cooked on the stove and (page 131)
usually contain butter, while fruit custard fillings are baked 3 large apples (1 pound 8 ounces), such as Golden
1. Sauté the apples in butter with a split 2. Continue sautéing until the apples are 3. Arrange the apples in a prebaked tart 4. Whisk together the eggs and 1/3 cup
in the oven and contain cream. Though fruit custard tarts or Delicious or Rome vanilla bean (optional). When the apples deep, dark brown on both sides. shell placed on a sheet pan. granulated sugar until smooth and add
tartlets make fine stand-alone desserts, they can also be used 1/ 2 lemon start to brown, sprinkle over 1/4 cup of the the milk. Pour the mixture into the tart
as the base for raw fruit tarts—just arrange berries or other 1/ 4 granulated sugar. shell.
cup butter
fruit on top. 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise, or 2 teaspoons
vanilla extract
1/ 4 cup plus 1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Use a 91/ 2-inch tart ring or fluted tart pan. Roll the dough
2 inches larger than the ring or pan and line the tart ring or
pan with it (see page 143). Prebake the tart shell (see page
145). Preheat the oven to 325°F.
5. Bake until the custard no longer
Peel the apples and rub them with the lemon. Halve and jiggles when you move the sheet pan
core them, and cut each half into 3 or 4 wedges, depending gently back and forth.
on their size. Put the apples in a nonstick sauté pan with the
butter over medium heat. Add the vanilla bean, if using, and
gently toss or stir the apples for about 12 minutes, or until
they’re a golden brown. Sprinkle the 1/ 4 cup granulated sugar
over the apples. Continue to toss or stir for about 5 minutes
longer, or until the apple wedges are deep brown on both
sides. Be careful not to break them. Remove from the heat.
To make the custard, whisk together the eggs and the
1/ 3 cup granulated sugar for about 2 minutes, or until the
mixture gets a little pale. Stir in the milk. If you used the vanilla
bean, scrape out the seeds in each of the halves and add these 6. Allow to cool, and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.
to the egg mixture; otherwise, add the vanilla extract.
Arrange the apples in the prebaked tart shell and pour the
custard mixture over them. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until
the custard sets—when it no longer moves in the middle when
you jiggle the sheet pan slightly (don’t move the tart). Dust
with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.

186 Baking Pies, Tarts, and Pastries 187

 www.TenSpeedPress.com

Fruit Custard Pies and Tarts Making an Alsatian Apple Tart

Alsatian Apple Tart
Custard is a liquid mixture that contains eggs and sets when
This is a traditional Alsatian apple tart. You can adapt the
it is cooked. The best-known custards, such as crème brulée
recipe to use virtually any fruit. Just cook the fruit on the
or crème caramel, are made with milk or cream, but custards
stove or in the oven before you bake it in a tart surrounded
can also be made with purees of fruit or vegetables—a pump-
with this simple vanilla custard. The vanilla bean is optional,
kin pie, for example, is filled with pumpkin custard. Any
but it elevates this tart’s flavor into higher realms.
fruit can be used to make a fruit custard; the sugar should
be adjusted according to how sweet the fruit is. The custard Makes one 9 1 / 2 -inch tart
fillings for fruit custard tarts and pies are very similar to
1 recipe sweetened basic pie and tart pastry dough
fruit curds except that fruit curds are cooked on the stove and (page 131)
usually contain butter, while fruit custard fillings are baked 3 large apples (1 pound 8 ounces), such as Golden
1. Sauté the apples in butter with a split 2. Continue sautéing until the apples are 3. Arrange the apples in a prebaked tart 4. Whisk together the eggs and 1/3 cup
in the oven and contain cream. Though fruit custard tarts or Delicious or Rome vanilla bean (optional). When the apples deep, dark brown on both sides. shell placed on a sheet pan. granulated sugar until smooth and add
tartlets make fine stand-alone desserts, they can also be used 1/ 2 lemon start to brown, sprinkle over 1/4 cup of the the milk. Pour the mixture into the tart
as the base for raw fruit tarts—just arrange berries or other 1/ 4 granulated sugar. shell.
cup butter
fruit on top. 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise, or 2 teaspoons
vanilla extract
1/ 4 cup plus 1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Use a 91/ 2-inch tart ring or fluted tart pan. Roll the dough
2 inches larger than the ring or pan and line the tart ring or
pan with it (see page 143). Prebake the tart shell (see page
145). Preheat the oven to 325°F.
5. Bake until the custard no longer
Peel the apples and rub them with the lemon. Halve and jiggles when you move the sheet pan
core them, and cut each half into 3 or 4 wedges, depending gently back and forth.
on their size. Put the apples in a nonstick sauté pan with the
butter over medium heat. Add the vanilla bean, if using, and
gently toss or stir the apples for about 12 minutes, or until
they’re a golden brown. Sprinkle the 1/ 4 cup granulated sugar
over the apples. Continue to toss or stir for about 5 minutes
longer, or until the apple wedges are deep brown on both
sides. Be careful not to break them. Remove from the heat.
To make the custard, whisk together the eggs and the
1/ 3 cup granulated sugar for about 2 minutes, or until the
mixture gets a little pale. Stir in the milk. If you used the vanilla
bean, scrape out the seeds in each of the halves and add these 6. Allow to cool, and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.
to the egg mixture; otherwise, add the vanilla extract.
Arrange the apples in the prebaked tart shell and pour the
custard mixture over them. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until
the custard sets—when it no longer moves in the middle when
you jiggle the sheet pan slightly (don’t move the tart). Dust
with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.

186 Baking Pies, Tarts, and Pastries 187