This easy apple tart is the perfect weeknight pie. Ready to go in the oven in less than 20 minutes, the hardest part is peeling the apples!
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This is a weeknight kind of pie. An “I am so tired I can hardly peel these apples and can’t bear the thought of rolling out pie crust” kind of pie. The kind of pie you toss together when you forgot you were supposed to bring dessert or the kind of pie you make when someone you love unexpectedly makes a wonderful supper and you need something sweet to go with it.
Apple pie is delicious on it’s own, but I’m a big fan of heaping some ice cream on top of my piece while the pie is still warm and maybe drizzling it with a little salted caramel sauce.
What kind of apples should I use in an apple tart?
My personal favorite pie apple is a Granny Smith. They have quite a bit of pucker that contrasts nicely with the sweetness of the sugar in the pie. Granny Smith apples also hold up really well when they’re cooked so you don’t have a pile of smushy apples.
I used to mix the varieties of apples, but I have found the consistently Granny Smith’s make the best pies and tarts.
Why do we need to let the apples sit in the sugar mixture?
The fancy baking term for letting the apples (or any fruit) sit in sugar/liquid is macerate. What does that mean? It means that the sugar and the liquid (in this case lemon juice) will partially break down the fruit causing it to release it’s juices. This softens the fruit, gives you liquid to work with, and pumps up the flavors of your fruit. The flour in this mixture then soaks up this extra juice so we don’t have a soggy pastry.
What is puff pastry?
Puff pastry is a laminated dough which means that there are layers of butter between each layer of dough. The butter melts during baking and creates a puffy, decadent pastry with no leavening agents. In this case, we’re going to use a sheet of frozen puff pastry as our crust to make a tart that is sort of a combination between and open faced pie and an apple strudel. You can make your puff pastry from scratch, but since we’re looking for a weeknight dessert, let’s use the frozen stuff.
Is puff pastry the same as crescent rolls? No. Crescent rolls are different. They are much more “bready” than puff pastry. They would probably make a decent substitute in a pinch but look for puff pastry. You can find frozen puff pastry in your grocery store near the frozen pie crust and Cool Whip.
Should you egg wash puff pastry?
Yes, I like to put a little bit of egg wash around the edges of my puff pastry. The egg gives the finished pastry a little extra shine and it acts like a glue around edges.
What is egg wash? Egg wash is simply taking an egg and lightly beating it with a fork and then brushing it onto your pie or pastry. If your egg seems particularly thick or difficult to brush on, you can add a tablespoon of water and mix in.
How long does an apple tart last?
You can keep your apple tart on the counter for 2-3 days. It should last even longer, up to 7 days, in the refrigerator but the flavor is best at room temperature.
You can also freeze your baked apple tart. Simply wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer safe container. Your tart should be good for 3-4 months in the freezer.
To thaw: unwrap and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
Easy Apple Tart
Equipment
- Sheet pan
Ingredients
- 1 13.2 ounce sheet frozen puff pastry thawed
- 3 large tart apples about 1 1/2 pounds
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 egg lightly beaten for egg wash
Instructions
- Peel and slice apples thin. You want about 15 slices per apple. Toss together with lemon juice, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Allow to sit for at least 15 minutes to macerate in the sugar and spices.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Unroll sheet of puff pastry onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment.Arrange apple slices on the puff pastry, leaving an inch all the way around. Fold up the edges. Brush the beaten egg around the edges of your folded up puff pastry. You won't use all of the egg.
- Bake for about 30 minutes, rotating the pan 180 degrees after 15 minutes. Enjoy, possibly with some ice cream or caramel sauce
Notes
Below is a quick video about how I fold the edges of my easy applet tart. It’s not super hard or exciting but sometimes seeing it helps make more sense of the directions.
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Happy Baking!
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Happy Baking!
P.S. If you love apple desserts, you might want to try these apple hand pies or maybe these caramel apple cookies!
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