Apple Tart

This stunning apple tart is made with the best buttery shortbread crust, a bourbon-flavored almond paste layer, and topped with decorative apple slices and turbinado sugar. It’s perfect for Thanksgiving and makes for an easy, comforting fall dessert.

This recipe was created in partnership with Envy Apples. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that matter to me.

Hi friends!

I recently attended Fresh Air Retreat Austin and enjoyed connecting with other food bloggers and learning more about our industry. But before I share more about that trip, let me tell you about this apple tart recipe. 

I used Envy Apples in this recipe after hearing and learning about their apples at the Fresh Air Retreat Austin. The tart starts with a buttery, shortbread crust. Good things always start with a buttery crust, in my opinion. 

Next is an almond paste layer flavored with a touch of bourbon. Yes, you read that right. Then, the tart is decorated with thinly sliced apples and a sprinkle of turbinado sugar.

It’s as delicious as it sounds, and I love serving it with a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of caramel.

Fresh Air Retreat

Now, let’s talk about the Fresh Air retreat. I haven’t been to a blogging event in over five years. I started this blog to teach myself to bake while in graduate school (over 11 years ago now!!!). Over the years, I’ve met some fantastic friends, and whenever I get to meet them in person, I take the time as it is a lonely job since we all work from home. 

This year, I joined Liz from The Lemon Bowl and Lauren from The Curious Plate at their Fresh Air Retreat Austin, which brings together entrepreneurs from different parts of the food industry to grow, learn, and network. We spent four days in Austin, Texas, at a cozy house, sharing and learning from each other. Liz and Lauren poured a lot of work into making this time a relaxing and fulfilling creative retreat, complete with an in-house chef, Chef Trimell Hawkins, and a photographer, Amanda Kampinnen. 

At this year’s Fresh Air Retreat, we had amazing sponsors and brands that we learned and collaborated with.  

• Zwilling
• Flor de Caña
• Dave’s Killer Bread
• Raptive
• Envy Apples

Zwilling hosted a knife skills class and introduced us to their exquisite professional knives. Dave’s Killer Bread got us moving in a fun 90’s theme cardio workout and hosted our breakfasts! Envy Apple’s creative lunch menu by Chef Trimmel and Liz was a fantastic 5-course meal that I am still dreaming about and excited me to get baking with Envy Apples. 

Over the next few months, I look forward to working with these sponsors and sharing with you their amazing products.

I left energized and excited for the next phase of my business. 

Envy Apples

Have you heard of Envy Apples? If not, then you have to RUN and try this fantastic apple. Envy Apples are designed to have a balanced sweetness, and each bite has that satisfying crunch we all love in apples, making them perfect for snacking. My kids have been asking for them ever since we tried them. I even snuck one with me on a trip to Brussels right after the retreat, and it was the best road snack.

Did I mention that the slices stay naturally white longer, making them perfect for baking and displaying their beautiful appearance?  They were perfect in this apple tart.

I know you’ll love this apple dessert, and it would be a stunning one to make this holiday season or anytime over the fall (or year!) when you’re craving apples. Here are my fall recipes if you need more ideas for this season.

Ingredients

• all-purpose flour
• vegetable shortening
• sugar
• salt
• unsalted butter
• almond flour
• brown sugar
• an egg
• ground cinnamon
• bourbon (optional)
• a few medium apples
• turbinado sugar

How to Make Apple Tart

To make the crust

Prepare ice-cold water and keep it in the fridge. In a food processor, pulse the flour, shortening, sugar, and salt until combined. Add in half of the butter and pulse for a few seconds. Add in the rest of the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like a coarse meal.

Sprinkle a few tablespoons of cold water over the mixture and pulse until the dough comes together in clumps. If dry, add a little more water.

Remove dough from processor and form into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour. Keep chilled.

Let stand at room temperature before rolling dough on a lightly floured surface and fitting into a long rectangular tart pan with a removable bottom.

Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides. (Alternatively, just press dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan). Chill the dough while the oven preheats.

Preheat the oven.

To make the filling

Mix the almond flour, butter, brown sugar, egg, and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor or stand mixer.

Pulse until well combined. Drizzle in the bourbon and mix until combined.

Spread a thin layer of the almond mixture across the bottom of the prepared tart shell.

Arrange sliced apples gently onto the paste.

Layer the apples tightly together in any pattern you choose.

Sprinkle with turbinado sugar.

Bake tart until golden brown.

Transfer the tart to a cooling rack and let it cool completely before slicing up.

Serve slices with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a drizzle of caramel, or whipped cream.

How to Store

Store apple tarts in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 4 days or in your freezer for up to 3 months. Let the apple tart sit at room temperature before enjoying it.

More Apple Dessert Recipes

• Cheddar Apple Pie
• Apple Cardamom Crisp
• Maple Apple Cream Pie
• Dutch Apple Pie
• Easy Apple Cobbler

What do you think of this indulgent apple tart recipe? What would you serve with a slice? Let me know in the comment section below. 

If you share across social media, make sure to tag #aclassictwist, so I can see your beautiful creation come to life!

Happy fall baking, friends!

Disclosure: This post was created in partnership with Envy Apples. All retreat photos are by Amanda Kamppinen

Apple Tart Recipe