It’s very hot outside. That, I cannot deny. However, I am very much in the fall mindset. I think part of it is because it’s been pretty rainy lately, but I also think a big part of it is that fall is actually very close. We’re about halfway through July, then it’s August, and then it’s fall. September through December ( the “ber” months) have always been my favorite, so I’m getting very excited.
In terms of recipe testing, I have almost completed my July recipes. I just need to film the last one. Then I get to start testing August recipes. In August, I usually do a mix of seasonal recipes. August is actually peak season for a lot of summer fruits, so I like to include recipes that use that. But by August, a lot of people are very ready for fall so I try to start testing cozy recipes. To summarize, you can expect August to have a good mix of seasonal and cozy recipes.
I’ve been making good progress this week in terms of getting back on track with my recipes, but I still feel like I’m behind. My goal is to have most of my September recipes finished by the time I go back to school in mid August. I try to always be a month ahead of publishing schedule for my recipes so that I don’t have to rush anything. Breaks from school are always helpful to catch up and get ahead but I really want to start in a good place.
I think it’s a reasonable goal, and I’ve been able to (for the most part) maintain it for almost four years now. The moral of the story is stay tuned! There will be plenty more fun recipes to come.
Describe This Tart to Me
Taste: There are a handful of flavors going on in this tart, but they all compliment each other perfectly. The crust serves as the perfect simple base, with buttery and slightly savory flavors. The pistachio frangipane adds some sweetness, and a little bit of nutty and floral flavor. The apples on top offer some freshness, with the juice from the apples mixing with sweet honey and vanilla, and floral rosewater. It all works perfectly for a delicate summer tart.
Texture: The crust has a lovely buttery and flakey texture, while the frangipane filling offers some structure with its density. The apples and syrup on top add a little moisture to lighten up the whole dessert.
Ease: Although this tart might look, sound, and taste impressive and complicated, it’s actually pretty easy and quick to throw together. The crust is a very simple, classic crust. The filling comes together with just a handful of ingredients, and no extra or unexpected steps. The apples on top are the trickiest part, and are still pretty simple. All you have to do for them is slice them thinly, cook them in a simple syrup, and layer them on top. Although the three different components might seem intimidating, they’re actually all pretty simple.
The Crust
This is one of my go-to crusts because it’s so simple, yet so delicious. It comes together with only four ingredients; flour, salt, butter, and buttermilk. It’s easy to roll out and mold into the shape of the tart pan, and it keeps its shape in the oven. It’s flakey thanks to the cold butter and buttermilk, but still plenty stable to support the rest of the tart.
The Pistachio Frangipane
The pistachio frangipane makes up the bulk of the tart. It’s a dense filling, but has a light flavor that pairs perfectly with both the crust and the apples. It’s made up from ground up pistachios, eggs, butter, sugar, almond flour, and a little rosewater. Similar to the crust, it’s very simple to throw together and serves as an excellent and stable base for the apples to go on top.
The Apples
The apples not only give this tart an elegant visual finish, but they also add some levity to the overall flavor of the tart. The most difficult part about them is prepping the apples. In order to get appropriately thin and uniform apples, I recommend using a mandoline. A mandoline gets the job done quickly and efficiently, but it is quite a dangerous tool, so be careful! The apples are cooked in a mixture of honey, rosewater, and vanilla. We only cook them for a few minutes so that they still maintain enough structure so that we can layer them on top of the tart.
Rose Honey and Apple Tart
Ingredients
Method
- In a large bowl, toss together the flour and salt. Then, using a pastry cutter, cut in the cold cubed butter until it forms small pea sized crumbles. Add the buttermilk and use a spatula or a wooden spoon to bring the dough together. You may need to add a little more buttermilk, but its okay if it has some dry spots. It shouldn't be sticky.
- Place the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll it out into a 12 inch circle. Carefully transfer that to a 9 inch tart pan. Use your finger to press it into the pans bottom and sides. Cut excess off of the edges if necessary. Place in the refrigerator to firm up for 40 minutes.
- Grind up the pistachios in a food processor until they resemble the texture of almond flour. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using either a stand or hand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar until fluffy and smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each. Mix in the egg yolk, vanilla extract, and rosewater. Add the almond flour, salt, and the ground up pistachios, mixing until combined. It should be a somewhat pasty consistency. Set aside.
- Spread the filling evenly into the chilled pie crust. Place in the refrigerator while we make the apples. Preheat the oven to 375℉.
- Wash the apples and remove the core. Using a mandoline, carefully slice the whole cored apples into very thin rounds. I used the level 2 thickness on my mandoline. You can also slice the apples very thinly with a knife if you don't have a mandoline.
- In a large skillet or frying pan, whisk together the honey, rose water, and vanilla extract. Bring the mixture to a light simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, add in about half of your thinly sliced apple rounds and lower the temperature slightly. Cook on one side for roughly one minute, before flipping the apples to cook for another minute on the other side. Try to spoon some of the syrup on top.
- Layer the apples on top of the tart. Cook the second half of the apples in the syrup and layer them on top as well. Drizzle a little of the leftover syrup on top.
- Place the tart on a parchment line baking sheet. This tart tends to leak as it bakes, so the parchment baking sheet will make it less messy. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let the tart cool completely before slicing and serving. Tart lasts up to 4 days sealed in an airtight container in the refrigerator.