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Aussie Apple Tart

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Autumn has started here in Australia.  Even though we live up north and it’s pretty warm all year around (we’re upside down so think of Florida where Maine is), it’s getting dark early.  Queensland, the state I live in, doesn’t have daylight savings time.  Yes, that’s correct, it’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard of.  So here it is, barely the end of summer and it gets dark at 6pm.  I hate it but that’s an argument for another today.  Today we’re talking apples.

I love apple pies, apple tarts, apple crumbles — apple just about anything.  My in-laws visited and we were having a relaxing weekend, not doing much of anything.  My mother-in-law was reading her book and I’d just finished cleaning up the place a bit.

During a break in her book reading, she suggested that we make an Aussie Apple Tart.  See what I said above about loving everything apple – I was IN.  She decided that she would tell me how to make the tart and I’d do all the work.  She IS the mother-in-law.  Nuff said.  She knows I’m a pretty good cook but she also knows most of the food I make comes from my roots in the US.  She wants me to keep her recipes alive.

We started by making some apple sauce and while it was cooling, we (read that I) made the pastry.  I suspect she thought her pastry was best but she allowed me to make my stand-by recipe.  While that was chilling we peeled and sliced the apples.  She did the heavy onlooking and the big advice giving. “If you slice the apples too thickly, they won’t cook all the way through before turning brown.”  Check..  make slices thinner.

Making an Aussie Apple Tart

My mother-in-law is the cutest old lady you’ve ever met.  She’s the size of a number 2 pencil and just about as tall but she’s never lost her perky, sexy personality.  I love both “the olds” to bits.  They live in Victoria in the southern part of Australia.  We’d like them to move up here but they think it’s too hot where we are. It gets much hotter there in the summer (and dryer) and much much colder in the winter.

Anyway, about this tart.  Aussie apple tarts are made by smoothing spiced apple sauce over the bottom of the tart quite thickly.  Joan couldn’t believe I’d never made a tart by putting applesauce in the bottom.  Over the sauce, you place the apples sliced very thinly in a lovely pattern on top of the apple sauce.  Make sure you place the apples neatly because if you don’t, my mother-in-law will move them for you.

 an Aussie apple tart

This is my standard pastry recipe that makes enough dough for two tarts.  If you have a pastry recipe you like, it will work just fine for this tart. Once you have all the apples overlapped perfectly (mine weren’t) place it in the oven until the edges of the apples start to caramelize and the apples are soft.

While it’s baking, heat up the apricot preserves because when the tart comes out of the oven you’ll brush the top of the tart with the preserves.  It will sweeten the apples and leave a beautiful glaze on the tart.  Enjoy!

4.8 from 13 reviews
Aussie Apple Tart
 
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This is my mother-in-law's favourite apple tart. She says everyone makes a tart this way.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Australian
Serves: 8
Ingredients
Tart Pastry (from Cook's Illustrated)
  • 2½ cups (12½ oz. or 355 grams) all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbs sugar
  • 6 oz (170 grams) of cold butter cut into small pieces
  • ½ cup (104 grams) of shortening
  • ¼ cup cold vodka
  • ¼ cup very cold water
Tart Filling
  • 2 cups apple sauce (needs to be sweet and tastes really good with a bit of cinnamon)
  • 2 apples sliced thinly
  • 1 tbs demerara sugar
  • 1 tbs lemon juice
  • ½ cup apricot preserves heated
Instructions
Tart Pastry
  1. In a food processor, combine 1½ cups of flour, salt and sugar and process in 2 one-second pulses.
  2. Add the butter and shortening and process until the dough starts to form uneven clumps. This takes about 15 seconds and will look like cottage cheese and there is no visible flour.
  3. Scrape the bowl and distribute the dough evenly around the blade.
  4. Add the remaining cup of flour and pulse until the mixture is evenly distributed. Only 4 to 6 quick pulses.
  5. Dump the mixture into a bowl and sprinkle the vodka and water over the mixture.
  6. Important: Use a rubber spatula and fold and press until the dough sticks together.
  7. Divide the dough into two and form two flat disks. Wrap and place in the fridge for 30-45 minutes (or up to 2 days)
Making the Tart
  1. Pre-heat oven to 400F or 200C.
  2. Roll out the dough and place in a tart pan with a removable bottom (you can use anything you want but this pan makes placing the tart on the plate really easy)
  3. Prick the bottom and place in refrigerator to chill.
  4. Peel and cut the apples in half and remove the core.
  5. Slice thinly and toss with lemon juice to prevent discoloration.
  6. Retrieve the tart crust and smooth the applesauce over the bottom.
  7. Lay the apple slices in a nice pattern on top of the apple sauce.
  8. Sprinkle with demerara sugar and place in the oven. Reduce the heat to 375F or 190C and bake until golden brown. My oven took about 40 minutes.
  9. Brush the apples with the heated apricot preserves.
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Comments

  1. I JUST threw an apple crisp in the oven! I too am an apple lover. This tart looks so beautiful! I imagine it tastes just as good. Thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply

  2. We don’t have daylight saving in WA either, but I get up at 5.45am on week days so don’t mind too much :p I’m more unhappy with our unseasonal start to Autumn – strings of 38’C days are not Autumnal!

    At least this pie looks great, weather and light aside 🙂

    Reply

  5. I live in states. Winter is hard on me because there is so little daylight. I suffer from S.A.D. This morning we will switch over to Daylight Savings Time….he happiest day of the year for me.

    This apple tart is art. So beautiful. Would love to dig into it.

    Reply

  7. GORGEOUS! The little flowers are simply amazing 🙂 What a lovely tart!

    We don’t do daylight savings either…and while it does get early better my low-maintenance ways kind of loves never having to change my clocks 🙂

    Reply

  14. That looks like a Tart Aux Pommes:-) I am loving the Aussie Apple Tart, it is gorgeous!!! What a beautiful treat to make for your family, they are pretty lucky:-) I agree, give me any apple dessert and I may do a happy dance, YUM-O! Beautiful! Hugs, Terra

    Reply

  15. Maureen….it’s so wild to read that fall is starting for you, though spring is here for me! But this tart is so absolutely stunning….I’m certain I could eat it all year round! Just gorgeous! : )

    Reply

  18. Gorgeous! That is hilarious about your MIL. I can just see it…moving apple slices and commenting on the thickness. We used to not have day light savings in Indiana but finally they changed it a few years ago. Hopefully they do for you too!

    Reply

  19. That sure looks yummy! I made an apple cake this weekend, too, and believe me, it was delicious but much less photogenic than yours!

    Reply

  20. Great recipe (and that Cook’s Illustrated dough recipe – with the vodka – really works). I always cut my apple slices too thick! I need someone to peer over my shoulder and urge me to cut them properly. Really nice light on the top picture. Good post – thanks.

    Reply

  23. I’m with you – I love anything with apple, and apple pie has been my #1 favorite among all the pies. My mom used to make the apple pie but she uses the cross design on top (sorry I am not a baker and don’t know the proper name) but I really love your design! SO pretty… It’s like rose! I’d love to serve this kind of pie when we have guests. 🙂

    Reply

  29. oooh Miss Mauz these look absolutely DIVINE – you are such a neat cook – your photos and dishes look perfectly delicious – I don;t know HOW you do THAT?

    Reply

    • Hey Kylie, thanks a lot. I watched your tomato sauce video and Madame, you have nothing on me at all. Imagine being able to cook, talk and video at the same time. I have trouble hopping on one foot. 🙂

      Reply

  30. I loved this post! So funny! This apple tart looks amazing. I have never put applesauce on the bottom of my tart’s either. I can’t wait to try this. I’m hoping I cut and place my apples just right though. I’m a little intimidated 😉

    Reply

  31. Maureen,
    Loving your decor on such a beautiful tart. Love apples too. Had no idea about Queensland dark at night so early. Jings. Your mother-in-law sounds so clued in online. She must be so proud seeing your blog, then!

    Reply

  35. That’s one lovely looking tart! I love daylight saving time in Autumn and hate it in Spring, which will be in probably a few weeks here, and I’ll loose my precious hour of sleep! (there is nothing fun about getting up at 5am..)

    Reply

  40. I love apples too but have never used apple sauce in an apple tart before
    I love the double dose of apple in this and the pattern on top is so cute.
    We are seeing the first signs of spring here. It is confusing sometimes to think you guys have Fall now

    Reply

  41. I LOVE daylight savings time, but since I’m dating a guy who lives in your beautiful state, the one hour time difference CAN be a bit of a drainer when it comes to phone calls at night and whatnot. Therefore, in a way I’m kinda glad that daylight saving in VIC and NSW is almost over!

    Reply

  42. Confession, I have a notebook where full of sentences I absolutely love. I read them when I need inspiration, sometimes when I’m lonely for a writer to talk to or just when I want a small bite of something wonderful. You’be been added: “She did the heavy onlooking and the big advice giving.” I LOVE THIS!

    Oh, I also like the recipe 😉 Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  47. Hi, I’m glad that I come to visit your blog! Like how you presented this apple tart! The idea is taken now,haha!

    Reply

  48. Gorgeous apple tart. The decorations are so eye-catching. I’ve decided it’s time to make an apple pie … all I have to do is pick a recipe. 🙂

    Reply

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