Ingredients

  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 ⅓ cups plus 4 teaspoons pastry flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 3 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 ½ tablespoons ice water
  • 1 ½ teaspoons cider vinegar
  • 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/8 inch thick
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons milk, approximately
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ½ cup apricot preserves
  • 1 tablespoon apricot eau de vie or Calvados
  • Nutritional Information
    • Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

      499 calories; 24 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 66 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 31 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 66 milligrams cholesterol; 165 milligrams sodium

    • Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.

Preparation

  1. Cut 8 tablespoons of the butter into 3/4-inch cubes. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze 30 minutes. Place flour and salt in a large freezer bag, and freeze for 30 minutes.
  2. Place flour mixture in a food processor, and process for a few seconds to combine. Cut the cream cheese into 3 or 4 pieces, and add to flour. Process 20 seconds. Add frozen butter, and pulse until none of the butter is larger than a pea. Add water and vinegar, and pulse until butter is the size of small peas. The mixture will not hold together.
  3. Spoon mixture into freezer bag. Knead in the bag until it holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy. Remove from bag, wrap in plastic wrap, flatten into a disk and refrigerate at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight.
  4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and set rack on lowest shelf. Place dough between two sheets of lightly floured plastic wrap. Roll out to 1/8 inch thick and, using a cardboard template, cut a 16-inch circle. Transfer to a 12- to 14-inch round steel pizza pan or an inverted baking sheet.
  5. Sprinkle apple slices with lemon juice. Arrange slices on the dough, cored sides facing toward the center, overlapping in concentric circles, starting from the outer edge of the pan. Fold the border of dough over the apples’ edge, pleating it. Brush rim with milk. Sprinkle apples and rim with sugar. Dot apples with remaining butter, and bake 40 minutes, or until apples are tender when pierced and dough is crisp. Cool tart on the pan on a rack until warm.
  6. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, heat apricot preserves until boiling; strain. Stir in liquor, and brush onto the apples.

Dining and Cooking