Caramel Apple Tart

You’re gonna love this tart! It starts with tart, Granny Smith apples and caramel bits, then finishes in nothing but crumbs. It’s also a great make-ahead, party dish. Bake your tart ahead of time, then pop it in the oven for a few minutes when guests arrive. It pairs well with wine and brie. Maybe Easter brunch?

Caramel Apple Tart

Pie Dough

I personally prefer to make my own pie dough but you can also buy one (It’s cool – I won’t tell).

1 ½ cups chilled all purpose flour (I like Bob’s Redmill, organic, unbleached flour)
Pinch of salt
8 tablespoons chilled, unsalted butter, divided and cut into small pieces
A few tablespoons of ice water

Mix together flour and salt. Either using the paddle attachment on your stand mixer or by hand, cut in 6 tablespoons of the butter. Leave remaining 2 tablespoons of butter on counter to soften. If using stand mixer, mix on low until butter looks to be about the size of peas. If mixing by hand, rub the pieces of butter between your fingers and work the flour into the butter. Butter should not be entirely mixed in. There should still be pieces of butter. Mix in water, one tablespoon at a time just until dough pulls away from sides of the bowl and can be formed into a ball by hand.

Form dough into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Remove from refrigerator and turn out onto a floured surface. Roll dough out to about ¼ inch. Spread remaining 2 tablespoons of butter across dough. Roll dough up into a “log”, wrap in plastic and return to refrigerator for around 1 hour, or until interior butter is firm.

Turn log out onto a floured surface and roll, working from the center outward and rotating 45 degrees frequently. As the dough begins to thin, fold it over to double the height of the log. Continue rolling, from the center outward, rotating at 45 degrees and flipping frequently. Keep surface lightly floured. Once dough is rolled out into desired size, place on a cookie sheet and shape as desired. Place pan in the refrigerator. While dough chills, make the awesome filling.

Caramel Apple Tart Filling

1-2 Granny Smith apples, sliced very thinly, rinsed and drained
¼ cup brown sugar
pinch salt
pinch cinnamon
25-30 Kraft Caramel Bits
2 tablespoons butter, cut into bits

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Toss sliced apples in the brown sugar mixture until well-coated. Arrange a layer of apple slices on top of the chilled pie crust, overlapping, making sure all parts of the pie shell are covered. Top with Caramel Bits and 2 tablespoons of butter pieces.

Bake until the crust browns and the caramel is melty (around 15-20 minutes). Using a spatula, carefully smooth the caramel on the surface of the tart. Continue cooking a few minutes more.

Remove from oven. Serve it! There’s no wrong way – Hot with ice cream, cold with chardonnay and brie. Maybe just a nice afternoon snack.