Bramley apple tart

Bramley apples are truly beautiful.  When I picture an orchard, I picture Bramley apples with their dark green skins and red blush, their knobbly shapes and impressive size.  They are the kings of apples!

Usually, a recipe featuring Bramleys will only use them in puree form.  What attracted me to this recipe was the sliced Bramley on top – it gives the best of both worlds.  I was also impressed by the tip of beating an egg into the apple puree; it meant the tart sliced easily and didn’t collapse in the way that many apple pies do.

There are a few stages to this tart but it is worth it as the result looks very impressive...and more importantly, tastes divine.  The cinnamon pastry worked particularly well; you can’t go wrong pairing apple with cinnamon!

I think we all do things and then suddenly realise that we wouldn’t have done them in our youth.  Freezing the four leftover slices of tart, I suddenly felt very grown up!  Younger-me would’ve just eaten them regardless of whether I even wanted them – but mature-me, will appreciate having dessert on standby in the freezer!

Four of these, waiting for me in the freezer...whenever I want them.  Oh the joy!

Finally, thank you to everyone who has sponsored Mr CC’s ‘tache growing for Movember – we are touched and heartened by the response.  There is still time to make a donation and be entered into the prize draw (details can be found here).  You can still sponsor Mr CC by visiting his Mo page.

Ingredients

For the apple puree:

4 medium Bramley apples, peeled and cored
150g Demerara sugar
2 lemons – juice only
1 egg

For the pastry:

200g plain flour
80g unsalted butter, cold
40g caster sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 egg yolk
1-2 tablespoons cold water – I needed 2

For the apple topping:

2 medium Bramley apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
25g unsalted butter – melted

For the glaze:
8 tablespoons apricot jam
4 tablespoons water

To serve: thick cream

Method

Start by making the apple puree as it needs time to cool.  Chop the apples into small chunks and place in a pan along with the sugar and lemon juice.  It looks a lot of sugar which is why the lemon is there to balance it out.

Bring to the boil and then lower the heat.  Putting a lid on the pan will make the apple break down quicker.

Stir occasionally until you have a chunky puree.  Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

When cool, stir in the beaten egg – this helps the puree thicken in the oven and ensures nice clean slices when you serve it.

Now make the pastry: Place the flour, butter, sugar and cinnamon into the food processor and blitz until you have fine crumbs.  Alternatively, use the rubbing in method i.e.  rubbing the butter and flour through your fingertips until the ingredients incorporate into crumbs.

Add the egg yolk and blitz again.

Add the water, a tablespoon at a time, and pulse the processor until the mixture forms wet clumps.

Tip out onto a sheet of clingfilm and – handling as little as possible – form into a ball.

Flatten into a disc, wrap in the clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.  (I made it the night before and left it in the fridge – it’s fine!)

Roll out the pastry between two sheets of clingfilm.  At first it will seem too crumbly but persevere and, as the pastry warms, it will behave.  You will need to roll it thin to line the tin.

Take a 23cm loose bottomed flan tin and line it with the pastry.  Patch as needed.

Prick the bottom several times with a fork and return to the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan oven 180°C/390°F/gas mark 6.

Line the pastry with baking paper or non stick foil, and weigh down with baking beans.

Place on a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes.

Remove the beans and foil and return the exposed pastry case to the oven for a further 5 minutes, or until it is a light golden brown.

Leave to cool.

Spoon the puree into the pastry case and level the surface.

Arrange the sliced apples on top and then brush with the melted butter.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the sliced apples have an appealing caramelised brown glow to them.

As soon as you remove the tart from the oven, make the glaze: boil the jam with the water.

Brush over the baked tart and leave to cool completely.

Serve in thick slices with lashings of cream.  It would also be nice served warm with vanilla ice cream.

Bask in the glory of the wonderful thing you have created.

Eat.