Thursday, May 7, 2015

Apple custard tart recipe

Apple custard tart
Used 23.5cm tart pan.

TART PASTRY
175g plain flour
100g cold butter, cut in small pieces
1 tbsp icing sugar
1 egg yolk
½ tsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp cold water

CUSTARD
35g all-purpose flour
30g granulated white sugar (original: 65g)
2 large eggs
174g cream
½ tsp pure vanilla extract

APPLES
675g apples (approx. 4 medium sized apples)
25g granulated white sugar
25g unsalted butter
A sprinkle of cinnamon

CINNAMON SUGAR
10g granulated white sugar (original: 15g)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

TART
1.     Place the butter in your mixer and beat until softened. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add the egg, beating just until incorporated. (Don't over mix or the butter will separate and lighten in color.) Add flour and water and mix just until it forms a ball. (Don't overwork or pastry will be hard when baked).

2.     On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into a circle that is about 3mm thick. 

3.     When the pastry is the desired size, lightly roll pastry around your rolling pin, unroll onto top of tart pan (never pull pastry or you will get shrinkage). Gently lay in pan and lightly press pastry into bottom and up sides of pan. Roll your rolling pin over top of pan to get rid of excess pastry. Prick bottom of dough (this will prevent the dough from puffing up as it bakes). Cover and refrigerate for about 30mins-1h to chill the butter and to rest the gluten.

4.     Preheat oven to 200°C. Line the unbaked pastry shell with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Fill tart pan with pie weights or beans, making sure the weights are to the top of the pan and evenly distributed over the entire surface.

5.     Bake crust for 20mins (I removed beans and bake for extra 5mins at 180°C as the middle of the tart wasn’t fully cooked) until crust is dry and lightly browned. Remove weights and cool crust on wire rack. 

CUSTARD
6.     In a large bowl whisk the flour and sugar together.  Mix in the eggs and stir with a wooden spoon to make a smooth paste. Do not let this mixture sit too long as it will form a crust. 

7.     Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the cream until it just starts to boil and foams up. Remove from heat and gradually whisk into the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Whisk in the vanilla extract. Set this mixture aside.

8.     Return mixture to the saucepan. Heat to thicken, whisking constantly (*it burns very fast).

APPLES
9.     Peel, core, and slice the apples into 0.5cm thick slices. 

10. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat and stir in the sugar. 

11. Add the apples and 

Adapted from: joyofbaking