Dutch Apple Tart: A Heavenly Slice of Cozy European Comfort

Dutch Apple Tart is one of the dessert thats aroma  floating in your house is something  very difficult to resist, and not many things bring such taste. There is something touching about this delicious dessert, it is not only a sweet ending of a meal, it is like a bite of sweet tradition, that accompanies chilly evenings, holidays, or simple being nice to yourself after all day. Full of taste and simple to look at, this Dutch Apple Tart dates even farther back than the center of the Netherlands where bakers have been mastering the combination of butter-tasting crust and cinnamon-tasting apples since time immemorial.

This is unlike its American cousin, The Dutch Apple Pie that is served with a streusel crumble and is much more beautiful and flavourful with a deep, buttery crust and a well-made pile of apple filling. The crust is quite pastry-like, nearly like shortbread, providing the ideal contrast to the achingly tender, cinnamon-flavoured slices of apple at the heart of it. This dessert is often brought out a little warm with a little bit of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream hence it is both fancy and at the same time homely.

Part of the most wonderful features of creating a Dutch Apple Tart is that it is easy to prepare even by home bakers. There is no need to be a professional pastry chef, you just have to tolerate a few extra minutes, like fresh ingredients, and do not mind that your hands will become slightly floury. Be it as a weekend treat, a potluck, or because it is the apple season, this tart is one great addition to your list of recipes.

In this blog post I will guide you through all you need to know on how to make your own Dutch Apple Tart, right down to the crust. To begin with, we will include an enlarged ingredients list and then proceed to an easier-to-understand step-by-step procedure which is easy to follow even by the novice. You will read and feel confident enough afterward to roll out that crust, slice those apples and serve a tart that will impress. Okay, heat your oven and off we go, whether you like the smell of cake baking right now, it is about to happen.

Ingredients for a Perfect Dutch Apple Tart

The following is what you will require to prepare a typical Dutch Apple Tart measuring 9 inches:

To make crust:

• 2 1/2 cups (300g) of all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (225g) unsalted cold butter, cut in cubes
• 1 large single egg
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

To Fill:

• 5 to 6 medium apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp) peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 100g brown sugar, 12 tablespoons, 1/2 cup
• 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
• 1 tbs lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (to remove unwanted humidity)
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
• of the Glaze (optional):
• Apricot jam 2 tablespoons
• 1 tablespoon of water

Handy-Step Recipe of Creation of Dutch Apple Tart

A Dutch Apple Tart made from scratch might be a bit time consuming, but the taste is worth it. And this is the way to make this delicious treat in your home:

Make Tart Crust

To make the crust, begin by. Put the flour, sugar and pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl and mix. Chop the cold Butter into pieces and by the use of pastry cutter or fingers, incorporate the butter into the flour until the mixture forms into coarse crumbs.

Add the flour mixture to the egg and combine with the vanilla essence into a small bowl before adding it back to the flour mixture. Mix with a fork until a dough starts to gain. Add a teaspoon of cold water to it, as necessary, to bind it. Beating up the dough into a ball shape, wrap it with a plastic wrap and place it in the fridge.

Preheating and Preparation

Before you begin to roll out your dough, preheat your oven to 350 o F (175 o C). Lightly grease a 9 inch tart pan with remove-able bottom.

Roll And Press the Dough

Cover with some water, and then refrigerate water over the dough. Using a lightly floured surface, roll out approximately two-thirds of the dough to form a circle that measures a slightly bigger size than your tart pan. Gently set it in the bottom and sides of the pan and cut off any extra. Make lattice strips or a top layer using the remaining dough, if you and anyone desire.

Prepare your Apple Filling

Mix the thinly sliced apples with the lemon juice with the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, flour, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Leave the mixture aside and leave it to rest for a few minutes or about 10 minutes in order to facilitate and combine the flavors being mixed as well as soften the apples ever so slightly.

Put the Tart together

Arrange the apple slices superbly in the tart crust. You could layer them in concentric circles the traditional way, or just see them stacked, the more rustic way. Should the crust be a lattice, place the strips over the top in a criss cross pattern.

Bake

Put the tart in the centre of the oven to bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until tenderness of the apples and a golden brown of the crust be attained. The ability to devour rapt attention to the tart in the final 10 minutes: in case the crust happens to be overbrowning, then lightly foil it.

Optional -add Glossy Finish

Before serving the tart, it is possible to put a shiny effect on it by simply heating the apricot jam in water i.e. a tablespoon of water in the jam until the jam appears smooth. This sprinkled on top of the apples will give a lovely gloss as well as a touch of sweetness.

Cold and ready

When your Dutch Apple Tart is cooled down in its pan (1520 minutes) remove the outer ring. Cut up and serve hot or at room temperature, preferrably with whipped cream or ice cream.

Final Thoughts

You may be baking up something special or you may be bingeing on your own personal secret desire but either way, this Dutch Apple Tart is a recipe that has it all, comfort and joy in every bite. It can be prepared easily like in the case of everyday bakers but it can also be served in the case of dinner party. The crust of buttery goodness and the optimum taste of doubly spiced apple are the balance that makes it a yummy dessert you opt to make again and again.

This Dutch Apple Tart can be one of your starting points as you go ahead and discover more baking new worlds. You may add some pears, raisins or even some rum to the filling to make it richer. Nevertheless, the traditional one (plain only apples, spice, and pastry) is never a loser.

The next time then, when you have a quiet afternoon and a basket of apples, give this a trial. Not only your kitchen will be heavenly, but you will also be able to make a really tasty tart that will make you feel at home.