APPLE CRUMB TART

APPLE CRUMB TART image

Number Of Ingredients 15

For the crumb topping:
2 tablespoons almond paste (leave it out if you can't find it)
1/3 cup, packed, brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
For the apple filling:
2 apples (Golden Delicious, Granny Smith or other firm and slightly tart apple)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 orange juice and zest
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or other fruit liqueur
1 teaspoon corn starch
1 teaspoon cold water
1/2 cup dried sour cherries
9-inch tart shell.

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. In a mixer or processor, cream together the almond paste, brown sugar, and butter, scraping down the bowl periodically. Add the extract. Add the flour in batches, mixing as you go. When large crumbs have formed, stop adding the flour and stop mixing. Set the topping aside until needed. 3. Peel, core, and cut the apples into wedges. 4. In a dry skillet over high heat, sauté the apples until they just begin to brown. 5. Add the sugar and orange zest and cook until caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add the orange juice and Grand Marnier or other liqueur, and scrape to loosen any pieces stuck to the skillet. 6. In a small bowl, mix the corn starch with the cold water. Add the corn starch slurry to the apple mixture and bring to a boil. 7. Remove to a heat-resistant bowl and mix in the dried cherries. 8. Fill the prepared shell with the apple mixture. Cover with the crumb topping, and bake until the crumbs are well browned, about 25 to 30 minutes.