Rustic Apple Tart with Dried Cherries and Caramel Sauce

November 26, 2012

Rustic Apple Tart with Dried Cherries and Caramel Sauce

Fresh, juicy apples with sweet dried cherries in a rustic, buttery crust....pure heaven. Oh, and homemade salted caramel sauce (warning: this is so good, you'll have to remind yourself to save some sauce for the tart!)
There isn't much I'd rather eat (or make) than this.

Let's face it....people are scared to make pie/tart crusts. It's really not so hard, just takes a little practice. Here are some pointers to help you along the way:

Keep everything cold when preparing the dough...bowl, butter, flour, water
Don't overwork the pie dough (that means don't knead it to death - it gets tough ya'll). Mix just until it comes together.
Work quickly when making up the dough and when rolling it out.

A rustic tart is perfectly imperfect. Even a little odd-shaped is cool. Yeh, we could use a tart pan and lay out the fruit in a splendid series of concentric circles - but not for this! Let's just all breath and relax a little. Let things be easy.
This type of tart is just like a warm hug from grandma. Perfect for the holidays and sharing with friends and family (good for breakfast too!).
P.S. - If you aren't up for making the caramel sauce, just buy some. Easy peasy.

Rustic Apple Tart with Dried Cherries and Caramel Sauce
Serves 8

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Crust

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

4 tablespoons (about) ice water filling

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, cold
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4-5 tablespoons ice water

Filling

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 1/2 pounds tart green apples (such as Granny Smith; about 5), peeled, cored, each cut into 8 wedges

4 tablespoons sugar

1/3 cup dried tart cherries (about 2 ounces)

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 1/2 pounds tart green apples (such as Granny Smith; about 5), peeled, cored, each cut into 8 wedges

4 tablespoons sugar

1/3 cup dried tart cherries (about 2 ounces)

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon butter, unsalted
5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into 8 wedges each
4 tablespoons sugar, divided
1/3 cup dried sweet cherries (you can use tart cherries if you prefer)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375F.

Make crust: In a large bowl, whisk together cold flour with sugar and salt. Toss in butter cubes and quickly rub into flour with fingers until it resembles coarse cornmeal, with pieces of butter about size of small peas.
Add water and mix with spoon until dough just comes together in big clumps (only add more water if mixture is too dry). Gather dough into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and set in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes up to one hour to chill.

Make filling: Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add apple wedges and sprinkle over 3 tablespoons of the sugar. Cook for about 8-10 minutes until fruit is softened. Add in cherries and cinnamon and cook another minute. Set aside to cool.

Roll out the dough onto a floured surface into a 12-inch circle. (Tip: turn your dough a quarter turn every so often and check to make sure it isn't sticking on surface.) Transfer dough to a pizza pan or baking sheet. Arrange apples on top of dough, leaving a 3-inch border. Fold over edges of dough on top of apples and sprinkle remaining tablespoon of sugar over apples and dough edge.

Bake tart for 15 minutes in 375F oven. Then reduce heat to 350F and cook an additional 30 minutes, or until apples are soft and tart is golden brown. Serve warm with caramel sauce (and perhaps some fresh whipped cream or ice cream). YUM!

Caramel Sauce

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 stick butter, unsalted (4 tablespoons)
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Place sugar in a medium heavy saucepan over medium heat. Allow sugar to melt, stirring occasionally with whisk or wooden spoon. It may clump up a little, but it will melt later. Continue to cook sugar without stirring until it turns an amber color (watch closely, it can burn, if you don't keep an eye). Turn down heat to low and stir in butter till it blends in. Add a tablespoon of cream at a time, whisking to incorporate. Stir in salt.
Turn off heat.
Allow to cool before serving. Once cool, can be stored in the refrigerator.

**Sorry ya'll, I didn't get a picture making the sauce...(bad blogger!) Next time, ok?

Rustic Apple and Dried Cherry Galette with Crème Fraîche and Caramel Sauce Bon Appétit | April 1998

This free-form tart is wonderful topped with caramel sauce and Crème Fraîche.

Yield: Makes 8 servings

Crust
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 tablespoons (about) ice water filling
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 pounds tart green apples (such as Granny Smith; about 5), peeled, cored, each cut into 8 wedges
4 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup dried tart cherries (about 2 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup Crème Fraîche or sour cream Caramel Sauce
Caramel Sauce

For crust:
Mix flour and salt in processor. Add butter and cut in using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 3 tablespoons ice water and process until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill 30 minutes. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)

For filling:
Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add apples to skillet; sprinkle 3 tablespoons sugar over. Sauté until apples are golden and begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Add dried cherries and cinnamon and stir 30 seconds. Remove from heat and cool completely.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out dough on floured surface to 12-inch round. Using 9-inch-diameter tart pan bottom as aid, transfer dough to rimless baking sheet. Arrange apple mixture atop dough, leaving 3-inch border. Fold edge of dough over apple mixture, pinching to seal any cracks in dough. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon sugar over apple mixture and dough edge.
Bake galette 15 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 375°F. Continue to bake galette until crust is light golden around edges and apples are tender, about 35 minutes longer. Using tart pan bottom as aid, transfer galette to rack; cool 15 minutes. Serve warm with Crème Fraîche and Caramel Sauce.

Rustic Apple and Dried Cherry Galette with Crème Fraîche and Caramel Sauce Bon Appétit | April 1998

This free-form tart is wonderful topped with caramel sauce and Crème Fraîche.

Yield: Makes 8 servings