This caramel apple tart is a much easier version of apple pie!
I am so tired of making apple pies. My husband loves apple pie. Every weekend he always asks “are you making me an apple pie this weekend?” He’s even willing to do the daunting task of peeling and slicing the apples if I make the crust and pie. I usually give in to his apple pie cravings and make him his precious pie. Sometimes I vary and try out new recipes, but they are still apple pies.
This weekend I put my foot down. I was tired of making apple pies. I needed some variety in my life…a change from the mundane. I didn’t want to disappoint him, but I also didn’t want to make yet another apple pie.
I’ve mentioned to you before that I’m a sucker for advertising, and that little epicurious widget at the bottom of my blog is getting the best of me. When I saw the photo of the Caramel Apple Tart pop up, it called my name. My plan to deviate from the norm started churning in my head. What would happen if I made an apple tart instead of the apple pie? Would my husband revolt? Would he sulk and pout in disappointment that I did something different? Or, would he discover something incredibly delicious? Would he find out that there is more to the world than apple pie? With trepidation, I was set to find out.
As the tart was baking, my husband came downstairs and I saw the delight in his eyes at the aroma of baked apples and cinnamon in the air. When the timer went off and I pulled the tart out of the oven to cool, he came over and looked stumped. I explained to him that I made an apple tart instead of an apple pie and that I really think he was going to like it. I could tell he wasn’t convinced. He looked a little disappointed that his usual weekend apple pie wasn’t what I pulled out of the oven. When the tart cooled, I made a slice, poured some of the warmed caramel sauce over it and presented it to him. I left him alone with the tart wanting their first meeting to be without me hovering over him, wondering what he thought. After his first bite he exclaimed “This is sooooo good!” This comment may not mean much to you all, but it was a victory in my mind. My husband hardly ever “exclaims”… his normal comments are “I’d eat this again” or “You don’t have to make this again”.
The proof that he really loved the tart was the fact that this morning when I came downstairs to go to church, I noticed the tart pan empty and washed sitting in the dish drainer. Aside from the one slice I had yesterday and the slice my friend Kathy had, Nick had eaten the entire tart.
I now see in my future alternating weekends of apple pie and apple tart. Variety is a wonderful thing!
Caramel Apple Tart
Ingredients
- Caramel sauce:
- 1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 6 tablespoons 3/4 stick unsalted butter
- Crust:
- 1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1/2 cup 1 stick chilled unsalted butter, diced
- 2 large egg yolks
- Filling:
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon unbleached all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 6 large McIntosh or Golden Delicious apples about 2 3/4 pounds, peeled, quartered, cored
Instructions
- For caramel sauce:
- Bring sugar, cream, and butter to boil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking constantly until sugar dissolves. Boil until caramel thickens enough to coat spoon thickly, whisking often, about 10 minutes. DO AHEAD Caramel sauce can be made 5 days ahead. Cover; chill. Whisk over low heat until warm before using.
- For crust:
- Blend flour, powdered sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and blend until coarse meal forms. Add egg yolks. Pulse until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap and chill at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD Dough for tart crust can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
- For filling:
- Whisk first 4 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Add apples and toss until evenly coated.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Cut overhang even with top of pan sides. Press sides of dough to bring 1/4 inch above sides of pan. Arrange apple quarters, cut side down, in circle around outer edge of pan, fitting snugly. Cut remaining apple quarters lengthwise in half; stand in center of tart, fitting snugly.
- Bake tart until apples are tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove tart from oven; brush with some of caramel sauce. Cool tart to room temperature. Rewarm remaining caramel sauce. Drizzle tart lightly with sauce. Serve, passing remaining sauce separately.
Cooking for husbands is a challenge. I’ve had a lot of misses! This looks so good, Kristen. The photo is lovely, too. Talk about food magazine quality!
What a gorgeous picture! Looks delicious!
That looks delicious! It’s no surprise why your husband loved it…as I loved reading the story about him loving it 🙂 It’s great when you hit the nail on the head 🙂
Kristen,
I have a picky eater at home – a.k.a husband. Sometimes cooking for him can be a real pain in the neck.
Your tart is absolutely fantastic – I love the caramel color!
I got my pie/tart pan again – it was at my father’s house – so I want to make something to use it. Your recipe is a very good idea. 😀
This looks so yummy (as does everything you make). I wonder how your family stays so fit with all these wonderful treats being baked. I gain 3 lbs each time I click on your blog. The picture of the tart looks fantastic, easily mag quality.
there’s nothing like the smell of cinammon and apple that speaks of a warm home. I love that aroma anytime. Your apple tart looks so delicious with all that nicely arranged circle of apple slices!
What a pretty tart! I love anything apple too, so I’d be quite delighted if you had made this for me! *hint* 😀
Variety is the spice of life and I’d say going from
I’d eat this again
to
This is sooooo good!
would be balm to my ear!
Hooray!!
Looks gorgeous and delicious recipe!:))
How about apple crisp?? Always a quick fav in our house 😀
Hi Kristen!!
So funny about men, I try so hard to get my boyfriend to try something, then if he loves it, that’s all he ever wants! I get SOO tired of the same thing, so I completely understand how you feel.
How wonderful that not only did your husband tolerate it – he liked it!
Have a great week.
Yum! That a great variation on the good old apple pie!
WOW!! I can see why he was so vocal in his enjoyment! That looks wonderful. And I can see why he always wants an apple pie–you obviously know how to do it the right way, and they smell so good when you bake them, whether it’s a tart or a pie. Beautiful picture.
Kristen, that tart looks so beautiful!
I’d love to make it, but my husband cannot
tolerate cinnamon. I know, WEIRD!
My kids would devour it, though.
All the signs in my life point to me making an apple tart, and this post is proof that I need to open the box of apples in our garage and put them to use in tart form before they go rotten on me! Hooray! Today may be apple tart night. Thanks for the inspiration!
Mimi – I’m pretty luck as my husband isn’t that picky.. he’s just doesn’t get excited about too many things.
Christiane – Thank you very much!
Joey – I was actually kind of surprised he loved it as much as he did. I’m glad to have something else to make!
Patricia – This was my first tart. I can’t wait to make another and look forward to seeing your creations.
Veron – I couldn’t agree more about the aroma!
Tanna – I was so pleased!
Jody – You know my goal about losing the baby weight… this is the reason that isn’t happening. I don’t know how my husband stays fit. He is lucky!
Lisa – Come on over and I’d be happy to make one for you.
Asha – Thank you!
Jeff – I love Apple Crisp… it is one of my favorites, but it just doesn’t do it for him for some reason.
Kirsten – My husband is a great cook, especially with BBQ, but getting him to even try a new recipe is so hard. He lacks that adventure quality I guess!
Freya – Thank you… it was delicious.
Beth – You should do it…this recipe is a keeper, thats for sure!
Sher – He is my biggest fan. He’s a very positive eater, although doesn’t get excited about too much. I was glad this excited him!
Karen – I can’t imagine not liking cinnamon! Do you ever cook with it, just for you and your kids?
Wow, I want an epicurious widget! Thanks so much for letting us know about that. I"m going to get one right now. I hope it’s free. My husband’s not home, so I hope I don’t break the computer trying to install a widget.
That looks heavenly.
That tart looks delicious! I can’t believe your husband gets a pie baked for him every week – what a lucky guy! Especially by such a great cook. 🙂