Lattice-Topped Apple Pie Tart

I'm sitting here trying to write the story of the photos of an Apple Pie Tart I baked, yet my tired wrung out brain is fighting me tooth and nail.  I've been wandering as of late, my mind that as. My mind has been wandering to far away places, reading more and thinking about the future.  A future that includes a nephew due to arrive shortly and news today that twins are on the way from my other sister-in-law. I've been wandering to all the dark and dusty alley ways still untapped in the crevices of my mind.  I think sometimes in order to find yourself you must get lost, completely and utterly lost.

Funning thing is no matter how lost I get I or how much I fight the path my life is destined to be on, something gently guides me back in the right direction.  I wandered upon  Nick Malgieri's book Bake! and was guided straight to the kitchen where I set about baking his Apple Pie Tart on a leisurely Saturday afternoon.  I lovingly placed the apple bits in the pastry shell, sprinkled it generously with sugar, I placed a photo on Instagram and had my brother, sister-in-law and niece at my door in half an hour.  We ate pie and ice cream for dinner, played games and stayed up late.

Adapted from Nick's recipe.

Flaky Pastry Dough

2 cups all-purpose flour (spoon into a dry-measure cup and level off)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon cold water if necessary

In a food processor combine flour, salt, and baking powder and pulse to combine.  If you would like more detailed crust explanation there is one on my Dark Chocolate Cream Pie.

Add pieces of butter and eggs and pulse a few times until starting to combine.  Add the water if the dough isn't coming together enough.

Divide the dough into 1/3 and 2/3 sized pieces onto pieces of plastic wrap, flatten and wrap tightly in the plastic wrap.

Store in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours before rolling out.

Apple Filling

3 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, halved, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch dice

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4" pieces

Finishing

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Roll out the bigger piece of dough on a floured surface and place the crust into an 11" tart pan with a removable bottom.  Use your fingers to make sure it gets into the sides and edges of the pan.  Cut off any excess from the top.

Put the apples in a large bowl.  In a small bowl mix the sugars, flour, and cinnamon.  Scatter 2 tablespoons of the sugar mixture onto the bottom of the tart crust.  Pour the rest over the apples and use a large spatula to mix together.

Scrape the filling into the prepared crust and redistribute the apple pieces so that the top of the filling is level rather than domed.  You really have to work those apples in with your fingers, but they should all fit.  Dot the filling with small pieces of butter.

Roll out the other 1/3 of the crust into a rectangle on a floured surface until it's about a 1/4" thick.  I had to go a little thinner, because I didn't have as much dough to work with.

Use a pizza wheel or serrated pastry wheel to cut dough into 1/2" wide strips.  Place 4 or 5 strips an 1" apart or so going in one direction and then the same amount, going the other.  I just pushed the edges down to the edge of the crust with my finger and cut off any extra.

Brush the top of the crust with a little water and sprinkle with the two tablespoons of sugar.

Place the tart pan on a baking sheet so it won't leak in the oven.

Bake for 45-55 minutes.

I've been fighting who I am as of late, rebelling if you will, and balking at the path I'm supposed to be on. It's funny though the harder I fight it, the more it seems futile.  This pie pulled me right back into a warm, comfy, familiar place, one that I have been many times and one that I want to visit many more times to come.  Matter of fact, I'm not sure if I can ever look at a traditional apple pie again and want it in the same way I used to.  This tart version was need I say, gasp, pretty impressive.

Maybe I can bake my way back and things will fall back into place, it's worth a shot anyways.

Do any of you have a way of finding your way back when you are lost?

Gina

Red Wine Grape Tart

Well ladies, I think I've done it; found a cure for PMS that is!  Why didn't I find this recipe sooner?  I went into Costco the other day and they were handing out free cookbooks, "Smart Cooking The Costco Way, (yes).  There are tons of good recipes in it, but this grape tart really caught my eye.  It had wine jello on top of it, what evil genius thought of that idea.  Please call me so we can hang out.  With some tweaks, this beautiful tart was born.

I've made two tarts in a row now.  There is just something about making a tart that makes you just a tad bit classier.  You could be sitting on the couch in your underwear drinking a beer and eating a piece of tart and all of a sudden you are putting your pinky in the air and asking the butler (hubs) to bring you a scone!

Crust

1/2 cup whole almonds, raw

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" pieces

1 egg yolk

To prepare the crust, finely grind almonds in a food processor.  Add sugar, flour and butter; pulse until combined.  Add egg yolk and process until the dough forms a ball.  Press over the bottom and sides of a greased 11" x 1.125" tart pan or 10" spring form pan with removable bottom.  Bake in 325 degree F oven for 25 minutes until golden brown.  Let cool.

Cream Cheese Filling

6  ozs. cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. lemon zest

In a small bowl or mixer combine, cream cheese, powdered sugar and lemon zest, mix until well combined.  Set aside.

Red Wine Jello

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups red wine (I used a Shiraz, use any red wine you would drink)

In a two quart saucepan, combine gelatin, sugar and wine.  Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat.  Chill for about 15-20 minutes, until it starts to thicken a bit.

Also needed

2 lbs. or so red seedless grapes, washed and dried

After crust is cooled, spread the layer of cream cheese and arrange grapes on top.  Pour thickened jello over grapes and chill until completely set.  You will want to let the tart sit out for a few minutes prior to serving.

Don't forget the whipped cream;  I taste tested it for all of you, matter of fact, it was so good, I went back and tested it again for you.  

Okay, maybe it's not a cure, but it sure is worth a shot.  If all else fails drink the rest of the bottle of leftover wine!  If you want to find out more about the book, go visit my friend Christina at Teenie Cakes, she did a really great post about the books.

Enjoy,

Gina