The distinct flavors in this apple-pine nut rosemary tart–pine nuts, apples, rosemary, and apricots!–make for a dessert that is as much a statement as it is a seasonal treat.
Crust:
• 1 1?4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
• 1?2 teaspoon salt
• 1?2 teaspoon sugar
• 1?2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and sliced
• 4 tablespoons to 1/4 cup ice water
Filling:
• 1 cup pine nuts
• 3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and sliced
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1/2 cup apricot jam
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped or 1 1?2 teaspoons dried
• 2 Granny Smith apples, cored and thinly sliced
1. To prepare crust: Combine flour, salt and sugar in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add butter and process until it resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 seconds.
2. With the food processor running, add ice water to the flour mixture slowly, through the feeding tube, just until the mixture holds together–no more than 30 seconds.
3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and press together to form a ball. Flatten dough into a disk and place on a sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using.
4. Turn the disk out onto a large square of floured parchment paper. (It’s helpful to tape it to your work surface.) Using a rolling pin, roll out the crust to fit an 11-inch tart pan, about 1?8-inch-thick. Transfer crust to tart pan by inverting the pan over the crust, then picking up the parchment paper and flipping it over. Carefully peel off the paper. Press the dough up the sides of the pan; fold the overhanging dough back onto itself to 1/4 inch above the edge of the pan.
5. Place crust in refrigerator while you prepare the filling. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
6. To prepare the fruit tart filling: Combine pine nuts and sugar in a food processor; pulse until finely ground. Add butter, egg, flour, salt, and lemon extract and process until thoroughly combined.
7. Spread jam over the tart shell, reserving 2 tablespoons. Using an offset spatula, spread pine nut mixture over jam. Place shell in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
8. Sprinkle rosemary evenly over filling. Arrange apple slices over tart, fanning them out in two layers.
9. Place tart on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until crust is golden brown and the nut cream is puffed. Transfer pan to cool on a wire rack.
10. When cool, transfer to a serving plate. Heat remaining jam and brush over top of tart. Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary. Serve immediately.
Karen Keb is the editor of Heirloom Gardener magazine and runs her home-based baking business, The Local Loaf, from her farm in Osage County, Kansas. Find some of her other recipes at the website of our sister publication Mother Earth News’ Common Fare blog.
Click here for the main article, Fresh Clips: Herbal Fruit Tart Recipes.
