Apple Slab Tart Recipes

Steps:

• Pate Sucree Extra: Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter and pulse just until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. In a liquid-measuring cup, whisk together ice water and egg yolks. With machine running, add egg-yolk mixture in a slow, steady stream just until dough holds together without being wet or sticky, about 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together; if it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a rectangle. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
• On a lightly floured piece of parchment, roll out dough to a 17-by-14-inch rectangle. Using a paring knife, lightly trace a 1-inch border around perimeter of dough (this border will be folded up over the filling to form the tart crust, leaving a 15-by-12-inch rectangle for the filling). Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• Filling: Combine McIntosh apples, 2 pounds red apples, lemon juice, and 1 1/2 cups water in a large pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until apples are completely soft, about 40 minutes. To remove skins, use chopsticks, or pass apples through a medium-mesh sieve or a food mill fitted with the fine disk. Applesauce can be stored in refrigerator up to 1 week, or in freezer up to 3 months.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread 2 cups applesauce evenly over chilled dough, staying within 1-inch borders (reserve remaining applesauce for another use).
• Halve, core, and thinly slice crosswise remaining 3 to 4 red apples with a mandolin or a very sharp knife, reserving scraps. Shingle 6 slices into a 3-inch square on top of filling in one corner of tart. Brush with lemon juice to keep from browning. Repeat process with remaining apple slices, placing as closely as possible to the previous 3-inch square of apples and alternating the direction of the shingling in a grid pattern (you should have 4 rows of 5).
• Fold over 1-inch border of dough to create crust. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle generously with sanding sugar. Bake, rotating halfway through, until crust is deep golden brown all over, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• Glaze: In a medium saucepan, cook reserved apple scraps, 1/2 cup water, sugar, apple brandy, quince paste, and salt over low heat until very soft. Whisk in butter, then strain mixture through a mesh sieve. Brush apples on tart with glaze to coat; let dry. Tart is best served at room temperature.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C.) In a large bowl, combine flour sugar, salt and baking powder. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix egg yolk and water together and mix into flour until it forms a ball. Roll out to fit the bottom of a 10x15 inch pan.
• In a large bowl, combine apples, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons flour, sugar and cinnamon. Pour filling into pie crust and dot with 2 tablespoons butter.
• In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2/3 cup brown sugar and 2/3 cup butter. Cut in the butter until crumbly, then sprinkle over apples.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until topping is golden brown.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together flour, 1 1/4 cups sugar, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Mix in eggs and vanilla extract until dough forms a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour but not more than 1 day.
• While the dough is chilling, prepare the apple filling.
• In a medium bowl, toss diced apples with sugar and cinnamon. Mix in walnuts.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 16 3-inch tart pans. Remove tart dough from the refrigerator and let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling out.
• Knead dough briefly on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 16 equal portions. Roll each portion into a 6-inch circle, and carefully fit one circle into each tart pan.
• Spoon an equal amount of apple mixture into each tart pan. Fold pastry over filling. Place filled tarts on a baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Melt apricot jam and brush over finished tarts, if desired.