Apple is an amazing fruit to have; be it in any form. Apple tarts are a delicious dessert and I shall provide you with an easy and simple way to prepare it within few minutes.

Recipe one: MINUTE APPLE TART

Approximate Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Basic Ingredients:

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 2 Granny Smith apples or two peaches, peeled, cored and sliced paper thin
• 1/2 cup apricot jams or preserves
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped pistachios

Preparatory steps:

• Step 1: take the frozen puff pastry and spread it in a rectangle which measures 12″ x 12″ onto a well floured surface and then further cut it in nine squares of 3″.
• Step 2: with the help of a fork prick the pastry and then coat every piece with a spoon full of apricot jam.
• Step 3: then spread the apple slices on top of the jam and arrange them nicely.
• Step 4: mix brown sugar and cinnamon properly in a large bowl and sprinkle it over the apple slices.
• Step 5: further place the apple tarts on a cookie sheet which shall be ungreased.
• Step 6: finally bake it for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees until the apple slices have become crisp and tender and the pastry has become golden brown.
• Step 7: garnish it with pistachios and serve it with vanilla ice cream to add to the taste.

Enjoy the delicious recipe!

Recipe two: COX APPLE TART

Basic material required

For the apple compote

• 80g/3oz unsalted butter
• 600g/1lb 5oz Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• 80g/3oz caster sugar
• 1 vanilla pod split lengthways, seeds scraped out

For the tart

• Flour, for dusting
• 250g/9oz puff pastry, thawed overnight in the fridge if frozen
• 6 Cox apples, peeled and cored
• Squeeze lemon juice
• Castor sugar, for sprinkling
• For the vanilla butter
• 1 vanilla pod split lengthways, seeds scraped out
• 100g/4oz unsalted butter, softened
• Vanilla ice cream or clotted cream, to serve

Preparation

For the apple compote

• Step 1: firstly take a pan and heat the butter in it. Then add apples, sugar, vanilla pod and seeds to it.
• Step 2: cook it over moderate heat approximately for 20 minutes and keep stirring it from time to time in order to make thick compote. (Remember that just in case the texture of the compote it too runny then cook it for some more time.)
• Step 3: then remove the vanilla pod from the compote and pour it into a blender and mix it properly to make a fine pulp.
• Step 4: after that rub the compote through a fine sieve and put it in a container.

For the tart

• Step 1: firstly roll the pastry out on a floured surface in a rectangle of 50 x 14cm/20 x 5½ measurements.
• Step 2: then cut out four discs using a small plate or 12cm/4½ cutters.
• Step 3: further put the discs on a non- stick baking tray and then refrigerate it for 10 minutes.
• Step 4: in order to prepare the vanilla butter, mix the vanilla seeds with the butter in a bowl.

For the final recipe

• Step 1: ensure the oven is preheated to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
• Step 2: then chop off 4 equal sized circles from the corners of the cox apples and then sprinkle lemon juice on it.
• Step 3: then cut the rest of the apples in halves(vertically).
• Step 4: take out the pastry discs from the fridge and with the help of a fork prick it all over.
• Step 5: take a little of the apple compote and spoon it in the middle of each pastry
• Step 6: spread the apple slices on top of it so that it holds the compote and pastry tightly and looks like the spokes of the wheel.
• Step 7: cover the centre of each tart by placing the reserved apple circles.
• Step 8: brush the apple slices with melted vanilla butter and sprinkle a little caster sugar onto it.
• Step 9: bake it for 10 minutes and further brush it with vanilla butter and then re bake it for 10- 15 minutes until it becomes golden- brown.
• Step 10: leave it to rest for 10 minutes.

It tastes best when served with vanilla ice- cream or clotted cream.

- Shreya Arora