Cookbook author Lee Kalpakis shares an apple tart recipe that gets a flavor boost from a brown butter crust.
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After spending over a decade cutting her teeth in New York City as a recipe developer, culinary producer, private chef, and more, Ulster County native Lee Kalpakis returned to the Catskills to live a quieter life. From the retro RV camper she lived in while her house was being built deep in the woods, Kalpakis crafted fresh, easy-to-prepare meals that she cooked over open fire. Read on for three recipes from her book OUT THERE. A Camper Cookbook, which debuted this past April.
This sweet and tender little tart is the perfect recipe when apples are in season. The brown butter crust is crumbly and crispy like a shortbread cookie. I love to use Gala or Honeycrisp apples because they’re bright and tart, and I love using raw honey because it’s creamy and lovely. Both the apple filling and the buttery crust come together easily. – Lee Kalpakis
Apple Tart With Brown Butter Crust
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium4
servings20
minutes1
hour10
minutes1
hour30
minutesNot sure which apples to use for this tart recipe? Kalpakis recommends Gala or Honeycrisp varieties for their bright, tart flavor.
Ingredients
- For the crust
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
- For the filling
4 Gala or Honeycrisp apples (about 1 lb.), halved, cored, and sliced paper-thin
â…“ cup raw honey
1 tsp. kosher salt
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
Demerara sugar and flaky salt for finishing
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for serving
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan with parchment paper.
- To make the crust, in a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat and allow to cook, swirling the pan often, until the butter browns and smells like caramel, 5–8 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, and kosher salt. Add the butter and stir until well mixed and a rough dough forms. (It should be the consistency of sandy Play-Doh.) Wrap the dough in parchment paper and place it in the fridge or cooler while you make the filling.
- To make the filling, in a large bowl, combine the apples, honey, kosher salt, lemon zest and juice, and cornstarch, and stir and toss to mix well.
- Transfer the dough to the prepared pie pan and press it evenly over the bottom and up the sides. With your fingers, shape the top edge of the dough into an even ring, then gently flute the ring by pressing it between the thumb of one hand and the index finger and thumb of the other. Pour the apple filling into the dough-lined pan and spread it evenly. Lightly sprinkle the top with demerara sugar and flaky salt.
- Bake until the apples are tender and the crust has become a slightly deeper brown, 45–60 minutes. Let cool completely, then cut into slices and serve with ice cream.
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