Sunday, September 30, 2012

Apple Ricotta Tart


It is definitely fall. Leaves are changing color, the air is getting crisper, and apple trees all around carry their beautiful red fruits. We are lucky to have several apple trees in our garden, so there is no shortage of apple pie, apple compote, apple chips, and apple pancakes in our kitchen right now.


An apple tart looks a little more elegant than it's rustic cousin the good old apple pie. I love them both. This tart here has a delicious ricotta cream layer, seasoned with some lemon zest. It makes the tart very fresh and light tasting. Sprinkled with some brown sugar, the apples get a nice caramelized touch. It tastes best slightly warm with some freshly whipped cream.



Apple Ricotta Tart

- makes one 28 cm (11-inch) round tart -


shortcrust pastry:
280 g flour
150 g butter
100 g sugar
1 pinch of salt
1 egg

filling:
1 kg apples (like Elstar, Boskoop, or Golden Deliscious)
1 organic lemon (juice of the whole lemon and zest of half a lemon)
250 g ricotta
2 egg yolks
2-3 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2-3 tbsp. brown sugar
20-30 g butter, cut in very small pieces


To make the shortcrust use a food processor and mix together the flour, sugar, salt, butter and the egg. Pulse a few times until the dough comes together. If necessary you can add a few tablespoons of ice-water. Alternatively you can knead the dough by hand. Wrap in cellophane and put in the fridge for about one hour.

Grease a tart form (∅ 28 cm / 11-inch), preferable with removable bottom. Roll out the dough about 2 cm bigger then the form and lay the rolled out dough into the form and press to the bottom. Prick with a fork and put back in the fridge until using.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). 

Now peel the apples, quarter  them and remove the core. Cut into thin slices and put into a bowl with the lemon juice to prevent them from getting brown.

For the filling mix together the ricotta, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla extract and lemon zest in a small bowl.

Fill the ricotta cream into the tart form on top of the shortcrust pastry. Arrange the apple slices on top of the cream starting from the outside and working your way to the middle. Sprinkle with brown sugar and the butter pieces.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes in the lower part off the oven, so the bottom gets nicely browned. The apples should have a nice caramelized look when ready. Serve with some whipped cream.


Enjoy and Guten Appetit!

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