Individual Apple Tart
I can’t resist making this special tart for myself when my Duchess apple tree in Vermont is laden with the most flavorful apples I’ve ever tasted. I’ve never sprayed the tree, so, yes, there are what we call wormholes, but I peel around them or dig out the dark tunnels with the point of a knife. If you’re using a frozen portion of your own tart dough, remember to take it out in the morning and let it defrost at room temperature. If you’re making up a new batch, be sure to make extra to put away for a repeat performance.
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Roll the pastry out into a circle, about 6 1/2 inches in diameter, and place it on a baking sheet. To measure the circle precisely and trim it, put a plate, approximately 6 inches in diameter, on top, and then cut with a sharp knife all around the circumference and remove excess dough to make a neat circle. Dip a pastry brush into the jam or jelly, and paint the bottom of the dough, leaving a 1/4-inch edge unpainted all around. Quarter the apple, peel and core it, and cut it into fairly thin slices. Arrange the slices overlapping in a circle all around the pastry round, leaving the 1/4-inch border, and then arrange the remaining slices in the center of the dough. Sprinkle up to 2 teaspoons of sugar on top, using more or less according to how tart your apples are. Place on a baking sheet, and bake in a preheated 425° oven for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 375° and bake 20 more minutes. Eat it while warm.
Variations
Step 2
Individual fruit tarts can be made the same way with rhubarb and pears. I prefer to use berries such as strawberries and raspberries raw in a tart, so I simply pre-bake the painted circle of dough, pricking the bottom first, for about 20 minutes at 425°, then, when the crust is cool, I arrange the berries on top. Gooseberries, however, are best cooked in the tart and need three times the amount of sugar.
