Medieval Apple Tart Silver Palate Recipes

Steps:

• Unwrap the phyllo sheets and cover them with a damp towel for 10 minutes. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat.
• Preheat the oer to 425°F.
• Using a pastry brush, lightly butter a 14-inche baking pan. Lay a phyllo sheet on the pan. Remember to re-cover the unused phyllo with a damp towel each time. Brush the phyllo with some of the melted butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the sugar and 1 teaspoon of the Grand Marnier. Repeat using 5 more phyllo leaves.
• Arrange the apples in the center of the top sheet of phyllo in a circular mount about 6 inches in diameter. Brush them with butter and sprinkle with some sugar and Grand Marnier.
• Stack 6 more phyllo sheets on top of the apples, repeating and buttering and sprinkling with sugar and Grand Marnier. The top (twelfth) sheet of phyllo should only be buttered.
• Trim off the corners of the phyllo sheets so you have a large round about 8 inches in diameter. Turn up the edges of the phyllo and pinch lightly to seal. Be tidy but don't work too long on this; the tart should look rustic.
• Set the pan on the center of the oven and bake until golden, 30-40 minutes. If the pastry becomes too brown before this time, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.
• Serve the tart immediately or reheat gently before serving.
• Serve with a dollop of Creme Fraiche.

Steps:

• 1. Prepare crust: Sift flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon into a bowl. Cut in the butter and shortening with a fork until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Moisten with just enough apple juice, tossing ingredients lightly with a fork. Form dough into a ball. Wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• 2. Cut off 1/3 of the dough and return it to the refrigerator. Roll out the other 2/3 between 2 sheets of wax paper. Line a greased 9-inch pie pan with the dough. Trim overhang and crimp decoratively. Preheat oven to 350°F.
• 3. Whisk all filling ingredients, except apples, in a bowl. Add apples, then spoon into the pastry-lined pie pan. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over filling.
• 4. Roll out the remaining dough between wax paper to form a circle 10 inches in diameter. Cut into strips 1/2-inch wide and arrange lattice-fashion over apples; trim ends of strips and crimp edges decoratively.
• 5. Bake pie in the center of the oven until the juices are bubbling and the apples are tender, about 55-60 minutes. (Cover loosely with foil if the crust browns too quickly.) Serve warm or cooled.

Steps:

• Dough: Combine the flour, sugar, and butter in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until the butter and dry ingredients form a coarse cornmeal consistency, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth, 2-3 minutes. Dust a flat work surface with flour and turn the dough out onto it. Knead the dough for a few minutes until it comes together. Bring the dough into a ball, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. (The dough can also be frozen for 2 months; when you're ready to use it, defrost overnight in the refrigerator.)
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Dust a flat work surface with flour, cut the dough into chunks, and pound with a rolling pin on the countertop to soften until it is the texture of Play-Doh. Then knead it to make it pliable. Do not overwork the dough. Lightly dust the rolling pin with flour and roll the dough out to an even ¼-inch thickness. With a 5-inch cookie cutter, cut circles from the dough as close together as possible. Carefully place the circles of dough on a lined baking sheet, flouring each one to prevent sticking, and chill. (You can only re-roll the dough once. Discard the remaining scraps.)
• Apple filling: Put apples in a large mixing bowl. Make the vanilla brown butter: Split and scrape the vanilla pod and combine both pod and its seeds with the butter in a small saucepan over high heat. Swirl as the butter becomes foamy. Pour the browned butter over the apples and stir to coat. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon, and stir to combine. Set aside for 30 minutes to bring out the juices in the apples. Stir in the cornstarch, then the crème fraîche.
• Streusel topping: Combine flour and sugar in a medium bowl and toss in the butter. Using your fingertips, break up the butter in the flour to make pea-size lumps.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. To assemble the tarts, warm the discs of dough between your fingertips so that they are pliable enough to fold. Spoon 1 tablespoon of applesauce and ¼ cup apple filling into the center of each disc. Pleat the dough to seal, and transfer each tart onto a lined baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of streusel topping onto each tart. Bake the tarts until golden-brown, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, about 30 minutes. Let them cool while you make the whipped cream.
• Whipped cream: Pour cream into the chilled bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, and mix on medium until soft peaks form. Add the crème fraîche and beat on medium until mixture is thick and mousse-like. Add more crème fraîche to make it softer and shinier, if you like. Dollop onto the apple tarts, and serve.