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So to kick off The Pink Whisk October Challenge here’s my apple recipe for Toffee Apple Tart.
Ingredients:
Pastry
150g plain flour
65g butter, cold
25g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
enough water to combine (2 -3 tablespoons)
Filling
70g fresh breadcrumbs (about 2 slices of fresh bread, blitzed)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2-3 large apples
(unpeeled my apples weigh about 550g, you will need enough apple that when peeled, cored and diced will cover the top of your tart case. They are also tart cooking apples but this can also easily be made with firm sweet eating apples)
200g demerara sugar
50ml water
10g butter
1tsp vinegar
1 tbsps golden syrup
Makes 1 x 8″ tart. A deep tin is best – this is the one I use – Amazon Masterclass Tart Tin
At this time of year a lot of the apples used in our baking are those straight from the tree from either yours or a neighbours garden. They come in all shapes and sizes so have a couple of extra on stand by if yours are on the small side.
Begin by making the vanilla pastry. Add the flour to the bowl of a food processor. Cut the cold butter into slices and add to the flour.
Pulse the mixer until the butter has been rubbed in and the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add the vanilla bean paste and pulse to distribute it evenly.
Putting the lid on first of course! Yes I know what you’re going to say that most processors won’t turn on unless the lid is engaged – that’s what I thought until my sister sent me this photo!
(Sorry Charl! x)
Then, with the processor running just enough water, a little at a time through the chute until the crumbs combine.
Make sure you add the water a little at a time and stop as soon as the pastry comes together, you will hear the sound the machine makes change. Don’t let the pastry whizz round and round in the processor bowl in a ball, turn it off right away.
Carefully remove the pastry, gently squeezing together the crumbs, wrap in clingfilm and allow it to rest in the fridge for half an hour.
Whilst your processor is still out make your breadcrumbs – tear the slices of bread into strips and then blitz together with the cinnamon until fine. Set these to one side for later.
Grease your tart tin well – a loose bottomed tin is always my tin of choice – it makes it far easier getting things out to serve!
Once rested roll out the pastry nice and thinly on your lightly floured work surface.
Flip the pastry over the rolling pin and lift it onto the tart tin. Gently use your fingers to press the pastry down into the tin. Trim the excess pastry from the top – rolling the rolling pin over the top edge will cut it off neatly for you.
Place the lined tart case back into the fridge to chill again until firm.
Preheat the oven to 180c fan/190c/Gas Mark 5.
Line the chilled tart case with baking paper and baking beans or dried rice.
No – my hands haven’t shrunk a little helper appeared for all of five seconds!
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, remove the beans and paper and then back in the oven for a further five minutes until golden and cooked through on the base.
Once the tart case is cooked add the breadcrumbs you prepared earlier completely covering the base
Peel and core your apples and then dice into fairly small chunks. Spread them over the breadcrumbs covering the top of the tart.
Add the demerara sugar, water, butter, vinegar and golden syrup to a pan and heat it over a gently heat so that the butter melts.
Turn the heat up a little and cook the syrupy mixture until the sugar is dissolved completely – you shouldn’t be able to feel any grainy crystals as you stir it.
Take your pan of toffee sauce and slowly and carefully pour over the tart - being sure to cover all the diced apples.
Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Ideally 1/3rd the way up from the bottom of the oven to stop the top from catching!
Dust with icing sugar, serve warm or cold, cream or custard it’s your call!
Toffee Apple Tart
Ruth Clemens, Baker Extraordinaire
I’m thinking i could do this without the apples which i know kinda defeats the object but i don’t do apples, bar eating them lol
Yep, course you can! Your baking, your rules x
Looks delicious, I’m still thinking up my entry for the October baking challenge!
How lovely – must try this tart.
Ooooh am going to give this a whirl at the weekend, my friend just gave me a bag full of apples from her garden!
Looking at the photo of the processor disaster..that is the same food processor that I have, I will remember that it can be a tricky devil!!
Sounds yummy, shall try this on Sunday when family are coming for lunch.
Looks scrummy! Can I substitute vanilla extract for bean paste, and if so how much would you suggest using?
Yes, replace with 1tsp of extract x
Ruth where do you get your vanilla bean paste from? i looked when i went out shopping but couldnt find it. Is it from a cake specialist?
I buy the Nielsen-Massey vanilla bean paste from Lakeland, but have also seen it this week in a large-ish Sainsburys on the baking aisle. Waitrose also do one by Taylor and Colledge which is good x
Delicious and well explained cake is delicious. regards
This looks such a perfect Autumnal bake- perfect for curling up infront of a roaring fire, like a good book and an extra large slice!
made this today and it’s yummy. In hubby’s good books now
What a great looking tart – definitely one to try later in the week.
I have posted my entry – Apple Bread Pudding – very easy and very tasty.
Looks fabulous – do you have to grease the tart tin with any butter or spray before lining it with the pastry?
Oops – I always manage to miss something out! Yes, grease the tin lightly before lining with pastry x
Hi Ruth
Really excited about making this toffee apple tart!
Just a quick question though – I don’t have any demerara sugar, can I substitute it for light brown sugar or golden caster sugar? Which of those would be better for a really great toffee sauce?
Thanks,
Mona
Hi Mona – either of these will work a treat – I think I would go with the light brown x
This looks amazing. Love your step by step photos
Mmmmm, have made this twice in the last week for both sets of in-laws and it was met with universal approval from all! Absolutely delicious, especially hot from the oven with vanilla ice cream.
This is a fantastic pudding and just gorgeous! My little girl is dairy and egg free and it suited us just fine when I substituted in dairy free spread instead of butter. Thank you Ruth!
I was just wondering about the 25g of caster sugar in the ingredients? You don’t seem to mention it when making the pastry
. I was just wondering if I had to add that to my food processor as well?
Yes, bob it in along with the flour x