AUTUMN APPLE CUSTARD TART

Autumn Apple Custard Tart image

Now that autumn is here, I am always looking for ways to use my fresh apples. This is a pretty recipe that will impress your guests every time. It really looks like you slaved away all day but is not that difficult. Don't be intimidated as it is really quite easy. Once you make one, you will feel like a pro.

Provided by Laurie Lenartowicz @llenartowicz

Categories Pies

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

CRUST
1/2 cup(s) softened butter
1 1/4 cup(s) all purpose flour
2 tablespoon(s) granulated sugar
2 tablespoon(s) sour cream, fat-free or regular
APPLES
4 medium peeled, cored sliced apples
1 tablespoon(s) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon or apple pie spice
CUSTARD
1/4 cup(s) all purpose flour
1/3 cup(s) granulated sugar
2 - large eggs
3/4 cup(s) half and half or light cream
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
TOP GLAZE
1/4 cup(s) apricot or raspberry jam, melted.

Steps:

You will need a 10 inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom. I place mine on a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil. Set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Prepare the crust. Place all ingredient for crust in a food processor and pulse until it comes together in a soft dough. No food processor? No problem: Mix crust ingredients together with clean fingers. Pat the dough in the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan working evenly along the top edges. Bake crust for 16-18 minutes until lightly Browned. Remove from oven to cooling rack. LOWER THE OVEN TEMPERATURE TO 350.
Prepare apples. Place the apples in a decorative fashionable around the inside of the cooled crust. Sprinkle them with 1/2 of the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Make the custard. In a medium bowl, beat together the flour, sugar and eggs with a wooden spoon. In a small saucepan, heat the half and half with vanilla just until the bubbles start to rise to the top. Working quickly, place a spoonful of the hot half and half into the egg mixture and stir vigorously. Stream the rest of the hot mixture into the eggs and continue to stir until combined. Pour custard over the apples in the tart pan just to beneath the top edge. Do not overfill.
Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar on top of the custard. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes until custard is set. Remove from oven. Microwave 1/4 cup do apricot or seedless raspberry jam until melted and smooth. I do this for 20 seconds or until melted. With a pastry brush, spread melted jam over the top of apples on tart. Cool tart on cooling rack. To remove tart from pan, press upward on the bottom of pan carefully. Can be served warm or cool. Refrigerate any leftovers covered.