Canterbury Apple Tart

The first installment in my English Tart series.  All I can say is this is an absolutely addictive tart and may become the go to choice for Thanksgiving dinner!  The Bramley Seedlings and  the dessert apples came from the Denman Island stall at the Winter Farmer’s Market. They grow all kinds of delicious apples, including heirloom varieties. Their pears & quince are pretty awesome too, oh and so is their apple cider!

Makes One 11” Tart

Pastry Ingredients:

4 oz. cold unsalted butter, cubed
8 oz. unbleached flour
1 oz. icing sugar, sifted
1 large egg, beaten

Filling Ingredients:

4 large eggs
8 oz. berry sugar
2 lemons, rind finely grated & lemons squeezed (approx. 1 – 2 Tbsp. rind & 4 – 6 Tbsp. juice), depending on how lemony you want the tart to be
4 oz. butter, melted
2 large Bramley Seedling apples, or Northern Spy (approx. 12 oz. total)
2 dessert apples (such as Gala or Braeburn), peeled & thinly sliced
1 oz. demerara sugar

Make The Pastry:

Place flour & icing sugar into the bowl of a food processor, using on/off turns  combine for a few seconds. Add the cold butter & process, using on/off turns until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. With the machine running, add the egg yolk just until the mixture begins to clump together. Remove from the processor &  form into a ball; flatten into a disc & wrap in plastic wrap; chill for about 30 minutes. Roll out the dough to approximately 12 ½” on a floured surface & press into a round 11” x 1 ½” deep fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, folding over the excess to form a double sided tart. Chill for a further 30 minutes while making the filling.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Make The Filling:

Beat the eggs, berry sugar, lemon rind & lemon juice together in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the warm melted butter. Coarsely grate the Bramley Seedling apples directly into the mixture & mix well. Remove the tart shell from the fridge & spread the runny lemon mixture over the base. Level the surface, if necessary, with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula; arrange the dessert apple slices around the edge, overlapping slightly. Sprinkle with the demerara sugar. Place heavy baking tray in the oven; place the apple tart on the baking tray & bake for 40 – 50 min. or until the centre feels firm to the touch & the apples are tinged brown. Remove from the oven, cool & serve.