Granny Smith Apple and Brown Butter Custard Tart
Why I Love This Recipe
Browned butter is showcased here in this dessert by pastry chef Kate Neumann of MK, Chicago. This recipes was printed in the 2007 Food & Wine Annual Cookbook.
Ingredients You'll Need
Tart Shell:
Vegetable oil spray
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg yolk, mixed with 1 Tbsp. water
Filling:
10 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
5 large Granny Smith apples (6 to 8 oz. each), peeled, cored and cut into 6 wedges each
Salt and fresh ground pepper
2 large eggs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Directions
Make the tart shell. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 11-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom with vegetable oil spray.
In a food processor, pulse the flour with the sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and egg yolk mixture and process just until the pastry comes together. Turn the pastry out onto a work surface and knead 2 or 3 times. Press the pastry evenly into the tart pan and refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes.
Line the tart shell with parchment paper and fill loosely with pie weights (or beans). Bake for about 35 minutes, until the edge is set. Remove the parchment and pie weights and bake for about 20 minutes longer, until the tart shell is lightly browned all over.
Meanwhile, make the filling. In a very large skillet, melt 2 Tbsp. of the butter. Add 1/2 cup of the sugar, cook over high heat until just brown. Add the apples, season lightly with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, turning once, until caramelized, 12 minutes.
In a small saucepan, cook the remaining stick of butter over medium heat until the milk solids brown and the butter is fragrant, about 7 minutes. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs with the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar until thick and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the flour and 1/4 tsp. of salt, then beat in the browned butter, scraping the milk solids into the custard mixture.
Pour the custard into the shell and arrange the apples in a single layer of slightly overlapping circles. Bake the tart in the lower third of the oven for 45 to 50 minutes, until the custard is puffed and richly browned. Transfer to a rack and cool before serving