Simple Apple Pie Tart

November 21, 2023marissamakes

Prep time: 2 hours 20 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Serves: 8-10

An apple tart styled with slices of apples as coarse sugar is being sprinkled on top

Pie season is my favorite season. I just love using fall fruits and produce to make cozy treats. This simple apple pie tart recipe uses apples in two ways: in the traditional apple pie filling, and on top, for a beautiful visual effect and delicious contrast in textures. And the best part? This tart is incredibly simple to make, but has a beautiful visual impact and flavor.

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Simple and sweet

Apple season is one of my favorites, because there’s so many possibilities of things to make. I love how easy this tart is to bake from start to finish. There’s no need for a fancy lattice, because the top is decorated beautifully with sliced apples. The filling is as easy as cooking all the ingredients together. Despite being so simple to make, this tart is truly delicious, and is perfect for an autumn dinner party or holiday dessert.

Choosing the perfect apple for this apple pie tart

When it comes to baking, I like to use firm apples that have a sweet and tart flavor. Honeycrisps are always a top choice, but I’ve made this tart with pink lady apples and it turned out perfectly. Whatever apple you choose, make sure it is a firmer variety, so it doesn’t get too mushy during cooking or baking.

For extra autumn flavor, I’ve added a touch of cardamom to the dough for this tart. I just love how cardamom and apple go together.

Tips and tricks for making this apple tart

I’m not kidding when I say this apple pie tart. The filling just a combination of apples, sugar, and spices, cooked down until softened, and the decoration is sliced apples.

That said, there are some tricks to handling pastry. If you’re new to making pie pastry, or just want a refresher, I recommend you check out my recipe for my favorite pie dough, which covers a lot of common questions or mistakes.

Baking temperatures and times

Whenever I make pies or tarts, I like to bake at a higher temperature of 425° F for the first 15-20 minutes of baking, before lowering the temperature for the rest of the bake. This ensures that the base of the pie cooks quickly, which helps the bottom stay nice and crisp.

After the first 15-20 minutes, lower the oven to 375° F and continue baking for the remainder of the bake time, or until the filling is bubbly, and the crust is golden brown. If the crust browns too quickly, cover it with a piece of foil or crust shield to help keep it from burning.

Tools you need

You don’t need anything too fancy for this apple tart, just a 9″ loose bottomed tart tin. For the filling, you may want to use an immersion blender or regular blender, but you can also mash it by hand.

Serving and storing

Allow the tart to cool completely before serving. It keeps well in the fridge, wrapped in foil or plastic wrap for about a week.

I hope you give this Simple Apple Pie Tart a try! Be sure to tag me on instagram so I can see your bakes, and leave me a comment below! Your feedback helps other bakers who are giving this recipe a try, and I love hearing about your bakes!

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Simple Apple Pie Tart

  • Prep time: 2 hours 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 35 minutes
  • Total time: 2 hours 55 minutes
  • Serves: 8-10

This simple apple pie tart recipe uses apples in two ways: in the traditional apple pie filling, and on top, for a beautiful visual effect and delicious contrast in textures. And the best part? This tart is incredibly simple to make, but has a beautiful visual impact and flavor.

Ingredients

For the pastry

  • 1.5 cups all purpose flour , (170 g)
  • 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed (one stick, 113g)
  • 1 tbsp granulated white sugar , (15 g)
  • 2 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • ~1/4 cup ice water, as needed
  • pinch kosher salt

For the filling

  • 2 lbs firm baking apples, such as honeycrisp or pink lady, peeled and cored (6-7 apples, depending on size, 907 g)
  • 1 cup granulated white sugar, (200 g)
  • 1.5 cups water , (355 ml)
  • 1 tbsp ground cardamom
  • 1.5 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice

For the topping

  • 3-4 apples, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise
  • 2 tbsp demerara or raw cane sugar , for sprinkling

Method

Make the pastry

  • 1)

    To make the pastry, combine the flour, sugar, spices, and butter in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the butter is incorporated evenly. Add the apple cider vinegar, and with the food processor on low, slowly drizzle in the ice water until the dough is just hydrated. Do not over process the dough. Wrap the dough in saran wrap and flatten into a small disk before allowing to chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours.

Make the filling

  • 1)

    To make the pie filling, dice the apples into 1/2″ pieces. In a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat, add the apples and the water. Cook until the apples begin to soften and the mixture reduces, about 15 minutes. Add the sugar. and continue to cook until the apples begin to break down and the mixture thickens. Add the lemon juice and spices, cook for 5 minutes more, and remove from heat. Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, blend the apple jam until it has the consistency of applesauce with a few pieces of diced apples throughout. Allow to cool.

Assemble the tart

  • 1)

    When you are ready to assemble the pie, preheat the oven to 425°F.

  • 2)

    Roll out the dough and place it into a loose bottomed 9″ tart pan. Add the apple jam filling (you may have a little extra leftover to enjoy on toast!), and decorate with the sliced apples.

  • 3)

    Top with a sprinkle of demerara sugar and bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Drop the temperature to 375°F and bake for 20 minutes more, until the pastry is baked and the apples have softened. Allow to cool before enjoying, or enjoy it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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