Rustic Apple Tarts (small batch)

 

It won't be long now before Apple season will be starting. I have seen a few early varieties beginning now, but come September they will almost all be ripe and ready for the picking.  Last year my sister and I found some beautiful cooking apples that were pink fleshed. They made the best applesauce!  I am looking forward to getting some of them again!  They were so yummy!

I had a couple of granny smith apples languishing in the bottom of my fridge that I wanted to use up and what better way to use them up than by making some delicious apple tarts!  I love apple tarts.  Can you tell?

 

 

These Rustic Apple Tarts are loosely inspired by an apple tart that I found on a page called, Hoosier Made.  I basically borrowed the idea of their streusel topping  option. They had walnuts in the streusel topping. I left those out and added oats.  I also downsized it so that it would make a topping for just two tarts. 

Yes, just two tarts, because basically I am just one person and can't realistically eat more than that.  These ended up being delicious. The pastry was nice and flaky, the filling juicy, not too sweet, the streusel adding a little bit of something different, but very nice. 

Deliciously scrumptious served warm with some ice cream on top.  If you are in the U.K. you might want to enjoy them with either custard or pouring cream.  

I do hope you will be inspired to give them a go!

 

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE RUSTIC APPLE TARTS (SMALL BATCH)

Just a few simple ingredients. You can either make your own pastry or use a ready made. I chose to use Pillsbury pastry this time around for speed and convenience. Homemade, however is always much better.  Might I recommend my butter and lard pastry?

• 1 sheet ready-rolled short crust pastry (Pillsbury or Jus Rol)
• 2 medium apples, peeled and diced (I used granny smith)
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 TBS soft light brown sugar, packed
• 1 TBS plain all purpose flour
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch ground nutmeg
• pinch salt
• 1 egg yolk, beaten together with 1 tsp water
• coarse sugar to sprinkle (I used demerara)
• vanilla ice cream to serve

For the streusel topping:

• 2 TBS flour
• 2 TBS soft light sugar, packed
• 1 TBS oats
• 1 TBS butter

 

I just use regular soft light brown sugar for this. If I lived in the U.K. I would use muscovado sugar. The light one. Oh how I miss having muscovado sugar available to me. I never used regular brown sugar at all over there.

I think demerara sugar here in North America is called Turbinado sugar.  

I used the Pillsbury ready rolled pie crust. To be honest it is not my favorite. Does anyone else think that all of the Pillsbury stuff tastes alike?  Maybe it is just me.  I just did not have time to make any from scratch on this particular day.  Homemade is always best if you can do it.

I used fresh lemon juice because that is all I have and I use salted butter because again, that is all I have. I also use free range eggs, once again, all I have.  I do grate my own nutmeg. I keep whole nutmegs and find it tastes better if I just grate my own.  

For the oats, don't use the large flake, or the instant. Use something in between.

 

HOW TO MAKE RUSTIC APPLE TARTS

I love making rustic, free form tarts such as this one. No faffing about. No muss, no fuss, and quick and easy if you use a ready made pastry.  These are delicious served warm with some ice cream, whipped cream or custard. You choose! 

Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Line a baking dish with some baking paper. Set aside.

Make the streusel topping by rubbing all of the ingredients together until you have a crumbly mixture which would be easy to sprinkle

To make the apple filling, combine the diced apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice in a bowl.

Unroll the pastry and cut out two six inch rounds. Place the rounds on the baking dish.

Make six cuts 2 1/2 inches in from the sides all the way around the outside, leaving the center intact. If you like you can round off the edges of these cuts for a prettier presentation.

 

Place one half of the filling into the center of each pastry round. Sprinkle one half of the streusel topping over top of each.

Bring the cuts in the pastry up to almost cover the filling completely and overlapping them slightly, leaving about an inch or so in the center with the streusel topping exposed.

Brush the surface of the pastry with the beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar. 

 

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes until crisp and golden brown and the filling inside has softened.

Leave to sit for 10 minutes before serving warm with a scoop of ice cream on top. (Or lashings of custard sauce!)

 

I was really pleased with how these turned out.  Loads of apple flavor and just enough spice, without being overly sweet.  I loved the streusel topping which also helped to absorb some of the apple juices so that they didn't run out all over my baking sheet.

If you are looking for a simple, rustic, yet delicious dessert for two, you really cannot go wrong with these!

 

Do you like apple desserts as much as I like apple desserts?  In all truth I would rather eat an apple cooked than raw any day!  Cooked apple is one of my favorite weaknesses!  Here are a few other desserts I enjoy from time to time that use apples!

OATY APPLE CRUMBLE -  I don't know about you, but when it comes to a crumble its all about the topping! That streusel topping is what makes the whole dessert, and when it contains the nutty wholesomeness of oats well I am all in!  A delicious fruity base, not too sweet, topped with a moreishly oaty buttery crumble. You can't go wrong!

APPLE PIE FOLDOVER - A delicious cross between an apple pie and a turnover that serves four people quite well. Quick and easy to make, you can use a ready made pastry to make it simpler, or you can make your own from scratch. It boasts a simple, yet really delicious apple filling that everyone will enjoy.

Yield: 2 tarts

Author: Marie Rayner

Streusel Apple Tarts (small batch)

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 50 Min

Much easier than traditional tarts, but every bit as delicious. Use any leftover pastry scraps to make pastry cookies. (see notes)

Ingredients

• 1 sheet ready-rolled short crust pastry (Pillsbury or Jus Rol)
• 2 medium apples, peeled and diced (I used granny smith)
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 TBS soft light brown sugar, packed
• 1 TBS plain all purpose flour
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch ground nutmeg
• pinch salt
• 1 egg yolk, beaten together with 1 tsp water
• coarse sugar to sprinkle (I used demerara)
• vanilla ice cream to serve

For the streusel topping:

• 2 TBS flour
• 2 TBS soft light sugar, packed
• 1 TBS oats
• 1 TBS butter

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Line a baking dish with some baking paper. Set aside.
2. Make the streusel topping by rubbing all of the ingredients together until you have a crumbly mixture which would be easy to sprinkle
3. To make the apple filling, combine the diced apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice in a bowl.
4. Unroll the pastry and cut out two six inch rounds. Place the rounds on the baking dish.
5. Make six cuts 2 1/2 inches in from the sides all the way around the outside, leaving the center intact. If you like you can round off the edges of these cuts for a prettier presentation.
6. Place one half of the filling into the center of each pastry round. Sprinkle one half of the streusel topping over top of each.
7. Bring the cuts in the pastry up to almost cover the filling completely and overlapping them slightly, leaving about an inch or so in the center with the streusel topping exposed.
8. Brush the surface of the pastry with the beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes until crisp and golden brown and the filling inside has softened.
10. Leave to sit for 10 minutes before serving warm with a scoop of ice cream on top. (Or lashings of custard sauce!)

Notes

To make pastry cookies. Press the scraps together. Roll out to an oblong. Brush with soft butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and then roll up tightly. Cut into 1/4 inch slices and place onto a paper lined baking sheet, cut side down. Press each one slightly to flatten a bit. Bake for about 15 minutes in the oven along side of the tarts. Delicious!

Alternately you can press the scraps together, cut into 2 inch rounds and press into a patty tin. Fill with a bit of jam and bake next to the tarts until golden brown and bubbly. Be careful as jam can really burn when it is hot.

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