Dutch Apple Tart (Appeltaart)
Eileen Gray
A Dutch Apple Tart is different than an American Apple pie. It has a sweet crust and is baked in a spring form pan rather than a pie pan. The filling is simply apples with sugar and a little cinnamon. There's no thickener in the filling so the juices are reabsorbed into the apples and the crust as it cools.
Prep Time1 hour hr
Bake Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Total Time2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Servings:12 slices
Tart Dough
- 15 oz all purpose flour (3 cups, see note)
- 4 oz granulated sugar (½ cup)
- 4 oz light brown sugar (½ cup)
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 1 lemon (finely grated zest)
- 10 oz unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 large egg (whisked)
Filling/Assembly
- 3 pounds tart apples (peeled and cored)
- 5 oz granulated sugar (½ cup plus 2 tablespoons)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 oz dry bread crumbs (¼ cup)
- 1 large egg (whisked for egg wash)
Make the Dough
Combine 15 oz all purpose flour, 4 oz granulated sugar, 4 oz light brown sugar, ½ teaspoon table salt and finely grated zest from 1 lemon in a mixing bowl. With the mixer running, toss in 10 oz unsalted butter and mix until thoroughly combined. With the mixer running, add 1 large egg and mix just until it forms a dough.
Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead together if there's any loose flour left. Split the dough into 2 uneven pieces, ⅔ and ⅓. Wrap the dough and chill it for at least a hour for it to firm up.
Roll the ⅔ portion of the dough into a 16" round. Lift the dough onto the rolling pin and unroll over the pan. The dough may break apart but you can just piece it together to line the pan.
Assemble the Tart
Cut 3 pounds tart apples into quarters and slice each quarter into ¼" thick slices. Toss the sliced apples with 5 oz granulated sugar and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Sprinkle 1 oz dry bread crumbs into the bottom of the tart shell and then pour the apples over the bread crumbs. The pan will be about ⅔ - ¾ full.
Brush the inside of the tart shell from the apples up with egg wash. Roll the remaining ⅓ portion of the dough into a 10" x 14" rectangle. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the dough into 1" wide strips. Arrange the strips in a lattice pattern over the apples. You don't need to actually weave the lattice, just lay the strips on top of each other. Trim the excess dough and brush the top of the crust with egg wash. Sprinkle the top of the tart with granulated sugar.
Place the pan onto a baking sheet and bake for about 1 ¼ hours until the apples in the middle are tender and the juices are bubbling. Cool completely in the pan.
To unmold the tart, run a knife around the edge to make sure the crust isn't sticking and then release the pan.
If measuring the flour by volume use the “dip & sweep” method. That is, dip the measuring cup into the flour bin, overfill it, then sweep away the excess.
The tart keeps for several days at room temperature. Taste the apples and adjust the amount of sugar to your taste. I used "Gold Rush" apples which are a little less tart than "Granny Smith".
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 498kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 132mg | Potassium: 205mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 693IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2mg