Apple Caramel Tart. Just say it out loud. Are you already imagining what it will taste like? I would say this tart is a close cousin to an Apple Crumb Pie, except it is made in a tart pan, so it’s all fancy. And the decadent caramel sauce drizzled on top makes this classic dessert just heavenly. I’m betting that if you saw this Apple Caramel Tart on the menu of your favorite restaurant, you would be ordering two slices. One for now and another one to take home and hide in the back in the fridge for later that night…when no one else is around.
I used to make this Apple Caramel Tart when I made tarts for local business. My kids call this period my “tart phase”, as I did go a little crazy testing tart recipes. My poor children do “suffer” so. Anyway, this tart along with a much requested Chocolate Banana Tart tied as their favorite. I’ll give you the recipe for the chocolate one at a later date.
The original recipe for this apple tart came with a new tart pan that I purchased long ago. I made a few adjustments as I did not want it as sweet as the original. I wanted to taste the apples with just a hint of caramel but you can modify the recipe to your own tastes.
There are 3 parts to the recipe. First, the pastry crust, which I like to make from scratch but you could certainly use a prepared pie crust from the grocery store. Second, the apple filling which is basically sliced apples with cinnamon and sugar and third, the streusel topping which is easy to make and comes together quickly.
If you are really ambitions you could make your own caramel, but honestly I just use a jar of caramel sauce that I buy at the store. Even better is the caramel that comes in a squeeze bottle for ice cream. It makes it easy and fun to drizzle the caramel over the top of the apples.
Next time you are in the mood to bake, give this delicious Apple Caramel Tart recipe a whirl and let me know what you think.
Apple Caramel Tart with Streusel
Print Recipe
Apple Caramel Tart
Ingredients
One Prepared Pastry Crust - See Recipe Below.
Apple Filling
- 2 pounds apples (I used Macintosh) - about 6 apples
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/4 cup caramel sauce - plus extra for drizzling
Streusel
- 1/2 cup quick or old fashioned oats
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablesspoons unsalted butter
Instructions
To make the filling.
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Peel, core and slice the apples about 3/4 inch thick. In a large bowl, toss the apples with the lemon juice.
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Combine the brown sugar, the granulated sugar, flour and the cinnamon. Add to the apples and gently toss to coat. Set aside.
To make the streusel.
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In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon. Add the butter and pulse just until the mixture just starts to clump together. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
To make the tart.
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Preheat the oven to 350 F.
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Remove the prepared pastry tart out of the refrigerator. Spoon in the apples. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the apples. Sprinkle the streusel on top. Drizzle a little more caramel on top of the streusel, if desired.
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Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and the apples are fork tender. Cool for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the tart pan. Finish cooling on a wire rack. Serve as is or with vanilla ice cream.
Recipe Notes
- You can use prepared pie dough from the market.
Pastry Crust for a Tart
Makes enough for one tart.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of ice water
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour - 8 oz
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter - see notes
Instructions
To make the pastry crust
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For the ice water, fill a cup with water, add in an ice cube and put it in the freezer while you measure out the rest of your ingredients. You will only be using some of this ice water.
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In a food processor with a steel blade, add in the flour, sugar and the salt. Process for about 10 seconds to mix.
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Cut up the butter into 1/2 inch cubes. Add the cubed butter to the flour mixture and pulse the processor until the butter is about the size of peas. Check after 10 or 12 pulses, then pulse a few more times, if needed.
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Pour the flour mixture into a medium size bowl. Add about 4 tablespoons of ice water and gently mix with your fingers. Keep adding in more water, a tablespoon or even a teaspoon at a time until clumps of dough start to form and you no longer see dry bits of flour. The dough should be moist and come together when pressed but not wet and sticky. See notes.
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Dump the dough on to a floured counter top and gather into a ball. Take the ball of tart dough and place it on to a piece of plastic wrap. Bring the wrap up around the sides of the dough and over the top to cover the dough. Press down on the ball of dough to make a disc. Round out the sides so it looks like a neat disc of dough. You should see flecks of cold butter in the dough. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
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Take out the cold dough and place it on a floured counter top. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin, starting back about 2/3 from the edge, then turn the dough a bit and roll again. Keep rolling and turning the dough until you have formed the shape of a circle approximately 14" in diameter and about 1/4" thick. Only roll the dough in one direction, never back and forth. Add more flour if the dough starts to stick to the counter.
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Loosely roll up the pastry dough onto the rolling pin and then gently unroll it on to the tart pan. Press the dough into the bottom of the tart pan and neatly up the sides. Fold more dough into the sides if it appears too thin in some spots. Trim off any excess dough with a knife or roll over the top with the rolling pin to cut off the extra pieces. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until you are ready to precede with your recipe.
Recipe Notes
- This is an "all butter" pastry crust. It will be flavorful and flaky but if you are a fan of using a little shortening, I suggest substituting 2 tablespoons of the butter with 2 tablespoons of shorting for a slightly flakier crust.
- You can alternately use 2 knives or a pastry knife to cut in the butter.
- You can continue to use the food processor to mix in the cold water. Just add the water a little at a time, while using short pulses just until small clumps of dough have been formed.
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