I recommend using a tart apple such as Granny Smith. This recipe makes 6 tartlets, using 3 inch tart molds such as these.
Caramel Apple Tartlets
Make these caramel apple tartlets for a dessert that is sure to impress.
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 6
Ingredients
Tart dough:
- 1/2 recipe Pâte Brisée (see below)
Filling:
- 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and chopped.
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- pinch of allspice
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
Caramel sauce:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- splash of vanilla
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream plus more for thinning
Instructions
- Make Pâte Brisée (see recipe below for instructions on how to prepare and blind bake).
- Preheat oven to 375.
- To make caramel filling, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the flour and whisk to form a roux. Whisk for several minutes to remove starchy taste.
- Add water and sugars, then bring to a boil. Continue whisking and reduce to a simmer. Cook for several minutes, until the sauce is completely smooth.
- Whisk in cream and vanilla. Set aside.
- After your apples are peeled, cored, and chopped, mix them in a small bowl with the spices.
- Evenly divide the apples between the 6 tartlets. Drizzle with caramel sauce. If the sauce is too thick, whisk in additional cream to reach a thick but pourable consistency. Save any leftover sauce to serve with the tarts.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, until sauce is bubbly.
- Allow to cool a bit before serving.
Please read my full post for additional recipe notes, tips, and serving suggestions!
Recipe Troubleshooting
For help troubleshooting a recipe, please email [email protected] I’ll try to respond to urgent questions as quickly as possible! This email address is only for recipe troubleshooting; Solicitations will be ignored.
Pâte Brisée
Ingredients
- 12 ounces all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 7 ounces cold butter, chopped
- 1/3 cup cold water
Instructions
- Add flour, butter and salt into a food processor
- Pulse on and off until the mixture is crumbly.
- Slowly add the water with the machine running just until the dough forms a ball.
- Chill for at least 2 hours.
- Roll into tartlet molds, chill for 30 minutes, dock, and then blind bake at 400 degrees for around 20 minutes, or until crust is golden and flaky (see notes).
Notes
You need to work very carefully with the dough here. Since the tartlets are small, you want to roll the dough as thin as possible. Paper thin, if you can. If there is a lot of dough in each tartlet, the filling won’t stand out.
While working with the dough, you always want it to be cold. Pâte Brisée can become elastic once it gets too soft or overworked. Break up the dough into separate pieces and work with a small amount at a time while the rest is being chilled. If you keep balling it up and trying to roll it out again, it will shrink. This doesn’t matter so much with something like a galette, but with small tarts you want the walls to extend all the way up.
After you roll the dough into the tartlet molds, chill for at least 30 minutes. Then poke numerous tiny holes the dough with a small point such as a fork, bamboo skewer or push pin. This is known as docking and it will prevent air bubbles from forming and causing the dough to rise.
After you dock the dough, place parchment paper in the middle of each tart, then topping with uncooked beans. This is additional protection against the dough rising.
Please read my full post for additional recipe notes, tips, and serving suggestions!
Recipe Troubleshooting
For help troubleshooting a recipe, please email [email protected] I’ll try to respond to urgent questions as quickly as possible! This email address is only for recipe troubleshooting; Solicitations will be ignored.
This looks yummy. I have a crab apple tree and so may try some of the green ones in the recipe.