Brown Butter and Sage Apple Tart
Yields: 6-8 servings
Time: Prep 1 hour, cook 1 hour
I always have more apples than I know what to do with in the fall. While I love the classic apple pie (clearly, check out this baby) it can get boring. I came up with this tart using the crumble from my nana’s apple crisp and one of my favorite flavor combos of brown butter and sage. The sweetness of the apples is balanced with velvety and rich brown butter. The tart is topped with homemade caramel that adds even more crunch to the crispy crumble. Enjoy this tart as dessert or even with your morning coffee!
Crust Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
2 tbsp. vodka
1/4-1/3 cup water
Ice cubes
Filling Ingredients:
5-6 baking apples (Jonagold, Granny Smith, Cartland, etc.)
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup fresh sage
2 tbsp. corn starch
Crumble Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup oats
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Caramel Ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 water
1 tbsp. salted butter
Special Equipment:
10” tart tin
Food processor
Japanese mandolin (optional)
Rolling pin
Pie weights
Candy thermometer (optional)
Directions
Step One:
Peel and core apples. Slice into very thin strips using mandolin. The mandolin gives you the best consistency but if you don’t have one a knife works fine.
Combine apples, lemon juice, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Set aside and let macerate for an hour.
Step Two:
In a small saucepan, melt one stick of unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Once butter is fully melted add in whole sage leaves. Cook until butter begins to froth, foam, and turn golden brown, 5-7 minutes. You’ll know when it’s done when the kitchen is filled with a toasty and nutty aroma!
Strain brown butter into a small bowl using a fine mesh sieve and let cool. Drain fried sage on a paper towel and set aside.
Step Three:
In a measuring cup, pour vodka and 1/4 cup of water over a few ice cubes, let chill. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Add flour mixture to food processor.
Step Four:
Cube one stick of very cold, unsalted butter. Add to food processor and pulse until mixture resembles small peas.
Slowly begin to add water/vodka mixture one tablespoon at a time, pulsing a few times between each tablespoon. Pulse until dough starts to form a ball on its own in the food processor. You may need to add a bit more water to your ice.
Remove dough from processor and form into a disk. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
Step Five:
After dough is chilled, lightly sprinkle flour on a surface large enough to roll out dough. Starting in the center of the dough, roll outwards toward the edges. Rotate dough a quarter turn every 2-3 rolls. Continue this process until dough is roughly 12” in diameter.
Step Six:
Carefully transfer dough to a greased tart tin. Gently press dough into all the edges, making sure to remove any air bubbles. Trim any excess dough from the sides. Evenly prick bottom of the crust with a fork. Chill for 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400º.
Step Seven:
Remove crust from fridge and line with parchment paper. Add pie weights on top of parchment and bake crust for 10-12 minutes until just set but not yet browned.
Step Eight:
While crust is baking, begin crumble topping. Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and walnuts in a mixing bowl. Cube butter into small pieces. Using your fingers, crumble butter into oat mixture. For the best results, run the ingredients through your fingers as if making the “cash money” gesture! Continue this process until the butter is incorporated and the mixture resembles small marbles or peas.
Step Nine:
Roughly chop fried sage. Gently mix brown butter, sage, and corn starch into apples. Remove crust from the oven and add in apples, packing tightly. Level out the surface of the apples as best as possible. You want a flat top for a tart vs. a mounded top for a pie.
Step Ten:
Sprinkle crumble topping evenly over the apples, gently pressing down to compact it. Place tart on a baking sheet to catch any drips and prevent burning in your oven.
Lower oven to 375º and bake tart for 45 minutes or until crumble is golden brown and filling is bubbling. Let cool.
Step Eleven:
Once tart is out of the oven, start the caramel. Combine 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of water in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat. Stir once or twice to dissolve sugar. Heat until sugar is boiling and begins to thicken and brown, swirling the pan every minute or so. If you’re more comfortable using a spoon to mix instead of swirling that’s okay, just make sure it’s a freshly cleaned spoon every time. Reusing a spoon with cold sugar on it will crystallize the caramel.
If you have a candy thermometer you want the sugar to get to 245º-250º but this can be done just by eye. But never take your eye off it! The second you stop watching it will burn, I promise.
Step Twelve:
The moment you see the sugar start to turn golden brown, turn heat as low as possible and stir in butter (with a fresh spoon). Once butter is melted, drizzle caramel over tart by the spoonful. You want to work quickly once you remove caramel from the heat as it hardens easily. Drizzle as much or as little on as you like!
Step Thirteen:
Let tart cool and set for at least an hour. Slice and serve with ice cream or fresh whipped cream and a cup of coffee. A fresh sage leaf makes a great garnish!
Applesauce, Mary!
Have extra apple filling? Throw it in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat. Stirring every couple of minutes, cook for 15-20 minutes or until apples have broken down, gotten thick and slightly reduced. Enjoy on your morning oatmeal, evening ice cream, or straight up!
