Classic Irish Apple Tart Recipes

IRISH APPLE CAKE

Steps:

• Set the oven to 350F Grease a 9 inch springform pan.
• Make the custard sauce ahead of time. Bring the milk to a simmer over medium heat. Meanwhile whisk the yolks and sugar until well combined. Drizzle a little of the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking all the time. Drizzle a little more, then transfer that back into the pan of hot milk and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Do this slowly, over medium heat, and I like to use a silicone spoon or spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the pan as it heats. The mixture will become velvety and thickend, but it will not be as thick as pudding. It will continue to thicken as it cools, so don't overcook or it can curdle. Stir in the vanilla.
• Pour the custard through a sieve (to catch any stray lumps) into a heat proof jar or bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface so it won't form a skin as it cools. Put in the refrigerator until completely chilled.
• To make the streusel topping, blend the bits of butter into the flour, sugar, and oats until the butter is incorporated and the mixture has a coarse crumbly texture. Put in the refrigerator.
• Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the butter/sugar mixture, along with the milk or cream.
• Spoon the batter into your prepared pan, and smooth out evenly. Top with the sliced apples, and then the streusel topping. Note: no need to arrange the apples perfectly, but try to get them in an even layer.
• Bake for about 50 minutes to an hour, until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick comes out without wet batter clinging to it.
• Let cool a bit in the pan before removing. Dust with confectioner's sugar before serving.

IRISH APPLE TART RECIPE

Steps:

• Sift the flour in to a large mixing bowl along with the salt and caster sugar. With a knife cut the butter into small pieces and add to the flour. My nan would would always hold the block of butter and with a butter knife cut slivers off into the flour.
• Rub the soft butter into the flour to create a breadcrumb like consistency. The key to a light pastry is to rub the butter into the flour while holding your hands above the bowl. This allows the flour to fall keeping air in the mixture and preventing a tough pastry.
• Once the butter is combined add the water or milk and mix with your hand in a claw shape to bring the mixture clings together. Empty the bowl out onto a floured work surface and fold to bring all the mixture together into a smooth pastry.
• Wrap pastry in clingfilm and place in your fridge to rest for approx 20 min. While this is resting you can preheat your oven to 200°C / 400°F / Gas Mark 6 then wash, peel and core your cooking apples then slice them and place in a bowl. You can sprinkle a little lemon juice over them to prevent them browning if you like but don't put them in a bowl of water. They will just absorb the water and you will loose a lot of flavour.
• Once this is complete you can take your pastry out and divide it into two balls, one slightly bigger than the other. The small pastry ball will be used for the base while the bigger will be used for the top as it will need to cover the mound of sliced cooking apples.
• My nan always used a dinner plate that had deep sides to make her apples tarts so that is what I use. If you like you can use a 23cm/9inch pie plate. Roll out the smaller pastry while keeping the second covered. Roll it to the size of your plate while leaving a little to overlap the edge.
• Take half of your apple slices and layer them around the pastry covering the base. Sprinkle half of your sugar over the layer then add the remaining apples followed by the last of the sugar ensuring that space is left around the edge of the pastry.
• Roll out the bigger ball of pasty to a size slightly bigger than the plate. Take a little bit of water or egg wash and rub it around the edge of the bottom layer of pastry. Transfer the top layer of pastry by rolling it over your rolling pin and folding it out over the apples. Ensure that there is a little bit of pastry hanging over the edge and pull and stretch to fit if needed.
• With a sharp knife, hold the plate up with one hand and with the other hand run the edge of the blade around the plate to cut off the excess pastry. I use to love watching my nan doing this and she always seemed to trim it all in one smooth motion. A little twist of the wrist and the sound of the knife on the plate brings back fond memories.
• Take a fork or the edge of a butter knife and press all around the edge of the pastry to seal. You can be as decorative as you like to create a nice, sealed crust.
• With the remaining pastry you can create little decorations for the apple tarts like leaves. This was always my job when I was a kid and I loved that I could help my nan out.
• Prod the pastry with a fork to allow the steam to release or cut four slits into the pastry near the center.
• Brush the pastry with a little milk or egg yolk mixed with milk to create a golden crust.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the pastry is nice and golden brown. When cooked the apples should be soft and sweet and the pastry should be fully cooked through and golden.
• The apple tart can be served dusted with a little icing sugar and a nice bit of fresh whipped cream. It is always better with a nice Irish cup of tea just as nanny Betty like. You can't be that. Enjoy.

CLASSIC IRISH APPLE TART RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
• Peel and core the apples, and then cut them into ¼-inch (6mm) thick slices.
• Place the apple slices in a bowl and toss with the sugar. Set aside.
• On a floured surface, roll out one pie crust ¼-inch (6mm) thick and line a 9-inch (23cm) pie dish with it.
• Pour the apple filling into the crust.
• Roll out the second pie crust a bit larger than the bottom crust and cut out decorative vent holes with a knife or small cookie cutter. Set aside the cutouts.
• Brush the edges of the bottom crust with egg wash before draping the top crust over the apples.
• Trim the edges so that about a ½-inch (12mm) of crust hangs past the edges of the pan. Tuck this overhang underneath the bottom crust and crimp all around with your fingers or a fork to seal. If you wish, decorate the edges of the pie with the cutouts, using egg wash to help the pastry adhere.
• Brush the pastry with the egg wash and bake for about 35-45 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the apples are tender. (if the pastry starts to over-brown before the apples are cooked, cover the pie with foil for the remainder of the cooking time.
• Let cool down for 30 minutes before serving with ice cream. Store leftovers, loosely covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days.

MUM'S IRISH APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch pie pan.
• To Make Crust: In a large bowl, combine flours, salt and sugar. Cut in butter and shortening until coarse crumbs are formed. Mix in sour cream and lemon juice. Keep mixing until dough forms a ball; dough may be slightly lumpy, this is fine. Wrap dough ball in plastic wrap and allow to chill for 1 hour.
• Once chilled, take dough out of refrigerator and cut it in half; keep one half covered and in the refrigerator. Roll dough to 1/8 of an inch. To lift pie shell, roll dough around rolling pin and then unroll into pie pan. Trim overhanging edges of pie crust.
• To Make Filling: Place apples into pie shell. In a small bowl, combine sugar, flour and nutmeg; mix thoroughly. Sprinkle mixture over apples. Squirt lemon juice over apples. Place pie in refrigerator while top crust is rolled out.
• Remove pie from refrigerator. Brush outer edge of bottom crust with beaten egg. Place second crust on top of pie; crimp pie shell edges together. Brush entire top crust with egg and cut 4 steam slots into it.
• Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow pie to completely cool before serving. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

CLASSIC APPLE TART

Steps:

• Set the cubed butter on a plate and place it in the freezer for 15 minutes. Fill a cup with ice and water and set aside. Place 1 1/2 of the flour, 1 8 teaspoon of the salt, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Take the butter out of the freezer and add it to the flour. Pulse the mixture until it looks like wet sand, about 10 seconds. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the ice water and pulse until the dough comes together into a ball.
• Lightly flour your work surface and place the dough on top. Then lightly flour the top of the dough and roll to about a 10- to 11-inch circle, sprinkling more flour under and on top of the dough as necessary. Gently drape the dough over the rolling pin and transfer it to a 9- or 9 1/2-inch fluted tart pan (ideally one with a removable bottom). Fit the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan as evenly as possible and press off excess dough from the fluted rim. Set the tart pan on a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350degreesF. Peel, core, and quarter the apples and then thinly slice them lengthwise. Place the apples in a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice, the cinnamon, and the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 8 teaspoon salt. Remove the baking sheet with the tart shell from the refrigerator. Arrange the apples in concentric circles so they overlap slightly. Brush the edges of the crust with the melted butter and then bake until the edges are golden and the apples have cooked down, about 1 hour. Cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

IRISH APPLE TART

Steps:

• To make the savoury sugar, heat oven to 140C/fan 160C/gas 1. Scatter the muscovado sugar, Maldon sea salt and lemon zest over a baking sheet, then leave in the oven for 15 mins to dry out. Leave to cool, then blitz in a blender. Pass through a large-holed sieve to remove any big lumps, then set aside.
• For the pastry, pulse the flour and butter together in a food processor until you have the texture of breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and eggs and pulse until everything comes together. Wrap the pastry with cling film and chill.
• Tip the raisins into a pan with the whisky, and add 1 tsp of the sugar. Bring to a simmer, then leave to one side.
• Cut the apples into large wedges and melt the butter in a heavy-based pan. Toss the apples in the butter, then add half the demerara sugar, the cinnamon stick and a healthy splash of whiskey. Cook the apples for 3-4 mins until coloured, then place in a sieve to drain away excess juices.
• Turn oven up to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Grease and flour a 28cm baking ring. Roll two-thirds of the pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin and line the ring. Chill for at least 20 mins. Prick pastry with a fork, then bake blind in the oven for around 10 mins. Brush with beaten egg, then return to the oven for 5 mins. Repeat this process again, cooking for another 5 mins - this will keep the pastry crisp. Leave to cool, then add the apple and raisin mixtures reserving any whiskey that has not been absorbed by the raisins. Roll a lid for the tart with the remaining pastry and place on top of the tart, egg washing to secure edges. Prick the top to release steam, egg wash the top of the pastry and sprinkle with the remaining demerara sugar. Turn oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and cook for 20 mins, until the top is golden.
• Put the apple tart on a large board. Lightly whip the cream and add the raisin whiskey to taste. Serve the spiced sugar in a bowl on the side to sprinkle over.