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Pastry Crust: Roll out the pastry and fit it
into a 8 or 9 inch (20 to 23 cm) tart pan (instructions for how to roll out the
pastry are given in the recipe for the Sweet Pastry Crust). Prick the bottom of the shell and chill for 20
minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees
C) and place rack in center of oven.
Line the
unbaked pastry shell with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Fill tart pan with
pie weights or beans, making sure the weights are to the top of the pan and
evenly distributed over the entire surface. Bake crust for 20 to 25 minutes
until crust is dry and lightly browned. Remove weights and cool crust on
wire rack. When cool, spread a thin layer of warm apricot glaze over
the bottom and sides of the tart to seal the crust and prevent it from getting
soggy. Let the glaze dry between 20 - 30 minutes.
Apricot Glaze:
In a small saucepan heat the
apricot preserves until boiling. Remove from heat and strain to get rid of
lumps. Add the Cognac or water.
Brandy
Custard: In a
large bowl whisk the flour and sugar together. Mix in the eggs and stir with a
wooden spoon to make a smooth paste. Do not let this mixture sit too long as
it will form a crust.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the half-and-half with the
vanilla bean until it just starts to boil and the cream foams up. Remove
from heat, take out the vanilla bean, and gradually whisk into the egg mixture,
stirring constantly. Whisk in the Apple Brandy. At this point, scrape out the
seeds from the vanilla bean and add to egg mixture or, if using vanilla extract,
add it now.
Set this mixture aside while you prepare the
apples.
Apples:
Peel, core, and slice the apples into
1/4 inch slices. Melt the 2 tablespoons (26
grams) butter in a large skillet over medium heat and stir in the 2 - 4
tablespoons (25 - 50
grams) sugar. Add the apples and sauté until they begin to soften,
approximately 5 - 10 minutes. Set the cooked apples aside.
ASSEMBLE TART:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in the middle of
the oven. Arrange the apple wedges in concentric circles on top of the cooled
and glazed tart shell.
Carefully pour the custard over the apples to just below the top of the tart
pan (do not fill all the way or the custard will drip between the crust and the
pan). Sprinkle lightly with the
Cinnamon Sugar.
Place tart pan on a larger baking sheet to make it easier to remove from oven
and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the custard has set.
Let
the tart cool on wire rack, then lightly
sift powdered sugar over the top. Place the
tart under the broiler in the oven just long enough to caramelize the sugar on
the apples. To prevent the edges of the tart shell from over-browning, you can cover them with a thin
piece of aluminum foil or pie shields. Be careful not to over brown.
To
remove the tart from the fluted sides of the pan, place your hand under the pan,
touching only the removable bottom not the sides. Gently push the tart straight
up, away from the sides. The fluted tart ring will fall away and slide down
your arm. If you want to remove the bottom of the pan, run a knife or thin metal
spatula between the crust and metal bottom, then slide the tart onto a cardboard
cake round or platter.
Serve with softly
whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Makes 1 - 8 or
9 inch (20 or 23 cm) tart
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