Culinary Instructor Robin Skirboll
The Chef Within, chefwithin.com, Northampton, MA
Ingredients:
- 2 tart apples, such as pink lady, braeburn, golden delicious
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 sheet of packaged puff pastry
- 1 egg plus 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
- ½ cup apple butter, preferably locally made
Method:
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Core apples and cut into slices about ¼ inch thick (peeling is optional). Toss with lemon juice, lemon zest, cardamom, cinnamon and sugar and set aside.
Lightly flour a work surface. Remove puff pastry from box and carefully unfold on top of floured surface. Roll out to ¼" thick square and cut into quarters. With a pastry brush, apply the egg wash around the edge of each square, making a 1" border. Fold the dough over the edge on all sides of the square to make a raised border.
Spread 2 tablespoons of the apple butter on the bottom of each square. Line up ¼" of the apples on top, overlapping a bit. Place all of the squares on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the edges with the egg wash and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Bake for 15- 20 minutes, until crust is golden and apples are slightly soft. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Serves 4.
Recommended wine/beer for Easy Apple Tartlets:
Les Cypres de Climens 2001