Warm Apple and Cream Tart

                                                                                                               Photography by Rachel Horesovsky

I really love a quick and easy apple tart and this recipe, based on one I found from legendary french cookbook author Patricia Wells is one of my all time go to recipes.  This apple tart is warm and homey and is the absolute essence of French comfort food.

This is the kind of tart that can be prepared on a moment's notice, like when you find out you have company coming for dinner in 3 hours and you haven't even begun to prepare anything.

The original recipe is made with a beautiful pate scuree but I find when I am in a pinch a commercially prepared roll out pie dough works equally as well and saves a LOT of time.

This tart is unusual because it is like baked apples in creme brulee (minus the crunchy sugar top).  It is best served while still warm and is wonderful with a cup of dark french roast coffee.  The entire recipe can be thrown together in about an hour from beginning to end (including 45 minutes of baking time).

Warm Apple and Cream Tart
serves 6-8

1 commercially-prepared 9-inch pie crust (or your favorite pastry dough)
2 large apples, peeled, cored and cut into thick wedges (Golden Delicious or Honey Crisp apples work particularly well)
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 Tbsp Turbinado sugar, plus 2 additional Tbsp for garnish (or granulated sugar)

Preheat oven to 375F.

Line a 8-inch metal tart pan with removable bottom with the pie dough.

Place the apple wedges in the pie shell.

In a medium bowl combine egg yolks, cream and 4 Tbsp sugar.  Whisk to combine.

Pour cream mixture over apples until it comes within 1/8 inch of the top of the shell (you may not be able to use all of the cream mixture depending on the size of your apples).

Sprinkle the top of the tart with the remaining 2 Tbsp sugar.

Bake for 45 minutes until tart is very golden and custard is set.

Cool 10 minutes before removing from tart pan.  Serve warm.