A tart shell filled with apple cider curd and topped with lovely slices of apples glazed with apple jelly. A beautiful treat that is surprisingly easy to assemble.
The 2010 November Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Simona of briciole. She chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ to make pasta frolla for a crostata. She used her own experience as a source, as well as information from Pellegrino Artusi’s Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well, and what a lovely challenge it was!
I have been wanting to make a "flower tart" for about six months now. That just shows you how long my baking wants list is. Ice Cream year has gotten me a bit behind on making anything that is not ice cream. I promise next year is going to go much much better.
I actually had to make these last Saturday, as today I am enjoying one of my last days in London. We just got back from Edinburgh this morning, and are heading over to Borough Market, a little foodie heaven. I've never been so excited for market day! I hear Jamie Oliver shoots there! It would be just a little too perfect to get to see him after the lovely culinary trip I've had....but more on that later when I'm home and have all the time in the world to tell you about my trip.
Until then enjoy this lovely tart. If you have a mandolin this apple adornment won't take you any more than five minutes. It's absolutely easy and looks so beautiful it's hard to believe it was so easy!
Enjoy!
Pasta Frolla
scant 3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 and 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
a pinch of salt
½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 T. vanilla sugar
1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten in a small bowl
Put sugar, flour, salt, and lemon zest in a stand mixer and stir a few times to mix. Add butter and beat using a wisk attachment until the mixture has the consistency of coarse meal.
Switch to using the dough hook attachment and continue to incorporate the liquid into the solid ingredients. Continue lightly just until the dough comes together into a ball.
Shape the dough into a flat disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Place the dough in the refrigerator and chill for at least two hours or overnight.
While the dough is chilling make the apple cider curd.
Apple Cider Curd Recipe:
3 large eggs
2 cups cup apple cider
3/4 cup light brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
In a sauce pan, boil apple cider until it has reduced to a half cup of liquid.
In a stand mixer beat together eggs and brown sugar. While continuing to mix, very slowly pour the reduced apple cider down the side of the bowl.
Return the mixture to the sauce pan. Cook stirring constantly until the mixture becomes thick. This will take approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately pour through a fine mesh strainer to remove lumps.
Cut the butter into small pieces and whisk into the mixture until the butter has melted. Cover immediately and refrigerate. Allow to chill in the refrigerator until the crust is baked.
To Bake the Crostata Crust:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Roll out a batch of the pasta frolla and cover the base of the tart pan.
Cut a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil large enough to cover the bottom of the crust and extend out a bit over the edges of the pan. Fill with pie weights or dry beans
Place the crostata shell in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the weights and parchment paper and continue baking the crostata shell until the border is light golden, about 5 minutes (watch carefully to avoid over-baking, which results in a hard shell). In the absence of weight, the crust may rise in the middle: if that occurs, gently push it back down with the back of a spoon.
Remove from the oven and let the crostata shell cool completely before proceeding.
Spread the prepared apple cider curd over the cooled shell.
To make the apple rosette topping:
1 apple
Lemon juice
¼ cup apple jelly
Using a mandolin slicer (or a knife) cut apples crosswise into the thinnest slices possible. Sprinkle with lemon juice to keep from browning. Cut slices in half and arrange, staggered and in circles, working your way inward until the entire crostata is covered.
Melt the apple jelly on the stove or in the microwave. Using a pastry brush, gently glaze the apples.
Refrigerate until ready to eat!
Enjoy!