Recipe; Apple Butter Custard Tart

"This is the first time I’ve made apple butter and I will definitely be making it again. Contrary to the name, there is no butter required, but it absolutely could replace butter on a scone or toast. It is a dense rich reduction of apple, lightly spiced," writes Mercy Fenton in her weekly column.

I have added as little sugar as possible to allow the tartness of the bramley apples to shine. You can use eating apples - brilliant if you have a tree and a glut of apples. 

"I would recommend making this while you are under no time pressure, as you do need to be near the cooker for at least 1-2 hours. This tart recipe calls for sweetened condensed milk, but if you don’t have a sweet tooth I would absolutely replace that with whipping cream."

Apple Butter Custard Tart

Apple Butter (yield about 520gr)

Ingredients

1200gr Bramley apples, washed and dried not peeled or cored

100gr brown sugar

½ tsp. cinnamon

Pinch salt

3 cloves

Method

• Start by chopping the apples into wedges or dice about 1 inch square or similar.
• Place in a wide diameter heavy bottomed pot; add about ½ cup of water and 3 cloves. Bring to the boil - stirring occasionally, then turn down the heat and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until completely tender and broken down.
• Now pass through a fine sieve into a clean bowl.
• Clean the pot and add the puree back into it (with the cloves if you can retrieve them).
• Now add the sugar, cinnamon and salt. Reheat and continue to simmer, stirring frequently until you are left with a dark, thick apple paste. If the cloves haven’t disintegrated at this stage, remove them.
• Scrape into a clean container and allow to cool.

Sweet sable pastry

This will make enough for 3 tarts - freeze what you don’t need for another time.

Ingredients

340gr cold butter diced

168 gr sugar

2 eggs (free range) at room temperature

84gr ground almonds

566gr cream flour

1 extra egg yolk

Method:

• The sweet pastry is quite fragile because it has a higher proportion of butter to flour than most pastry, but if you work quickly to keep it cool and handle with care, it is well worth the effort.
• Using an electric mixer with a paddle, cream the butter and sugar until it is super light.
• Remember to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl occasionally.
• Next, slowly add the eggs and beat well.
• Now add the flour and mix on low speed until it starts to come together.
• When the pastry comes together, remove from the bowl.
• Work a little by hand, just until the mix is smooth.
• Divide the pastry into 3 workable amounts and flatten into a shape.
• Cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm - 2 to 3 hours or overnight.
• Butter and lightly flour a loose base 10-inch tart tin.
• Lightly re-knead the dough until smooth, then roll out to a round roughly 30cm in diameter. Lift the dough over the rolling pin and drape over the ring.
• Press gently into the sides, let the overhang fall on the outside and trim a little leaving a small overhang (which can be trimmed after cooking).
• Use a little of the trimmings of pastry and roll into a ball. Dip into a little icing sugar, and then use it to press the dough into the ring.
• Chill the tart case for at least 30 minutes, preferably in the freezer.
• Heat oven to 170C.
• Cover the tart case with a large round of baking parchment, and then fill with uncooked rice, or baking beans.
• Place in the centre of the oven and bake for 20 to 25 min until it is golden brown on the sides and the base is beginning to look cooked.
• Remove and lift out the parchment and baking beans, continue to cook until the base is golden brown, about 5 minutes.
• Next brush the base all over with a beaten egg yolk and cook again for 4 to 5 minutes. This helps seal the pastry and keeps it crisp.

Tart Filling

Ingredients

330gr apple butter

2 large free-range eggs

1 yolk from a free-range egg

1 tbsp corn flour

½ tsp cinnamon

390gr condensed milk - or fresh cream (my preference)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping

1 ½ tbsp. sugar; ¾ tsp. cinnamon

Method:

• Pre-heat the oven to 180C.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the apple, eggs and yolk.
• Add the cinnamon, salt and corn flour.
• Finally whisk in the cream and vanilla.
• Pour the batter onto the prepared base, ensure it is level.
• Sprinkle with the extra sugar and cinnamon.
• Bake for 10 minutes at 180C then turn the oven down to 165C for approximately 25 minutes.
• The custard should be just set before removing it from the oven.
• Allow to cool fully before chilling, serve chilled.
• Honestly - the only thing needed to accompany this tart is whipped cream or maybe vanilla ice cream. I have added a few chopped toasted almonds and a sprinkle of cinnamon.