It’s Time to bake some Apple Tarts!
What do you think?
Apples are falling and besides that, other fruits are ready to be harvested.
Again, I wished I was in Europe now.
Just to be able pick what I had planted and to preserve the surplus fruits.
Sometimes we even make juice of certain fruits.
My parents belong to the local gardening club there, so they usually organize a yearly apple juice pressing.
Many folks there have their own apple trees in the gardens, its a popular fruit, in fact it’s THE fruit in central Europe.
I had captured 2 different apple trees from our garden some months back.
The apples here are still very young and on their way to turning into juicy sweet treats.
The trees are grafted, that’s my dads work.
He likes to try out new type of apples and pears on his trees.
Sometimes he even over does it to tell you the truth.
For example our pear tree stopped giving pears and now we have 3 different apple types growing on the tree.
Crazy right?!
(Surely my father will read that now and chuckle ^.^)
Nursery Rhymes and Harvesting season
Thinking of the harvesting season, I remembered a children song/rhyme from the German speaking regions.
A Masala Herb reader gave the kick-off and helped me to remember this rhyme.
Thank you Eha! ^.^
You can find the original German rhyme here.
I credit the translation respectively to the same page URL.
Spannenlanger Hansel
Spannenlanger* Hansel,
Pudgy girl
Let’s go into the garden
Shake the pears.
I shake the big ones
You shake the small ones
When the sack is full
Let’s go back home.
Don’t run so fast
Spannenlanger Hans
I drop the pears
And the shoes also.
You are carrying only the small ones
Pudgy girl
And I carry the big sack
With the big pears.
*A very tall and thin person
It’s about pears, and here I am speaking of apples, but then our pear tree has turned to an apple tree.
That will justify the connection!
Let’s get back to the essence of this post, the main reason why you are here, the Apple Tart!
There isn’t much to say about the Tart, everyone knows and has eaten at least once in their life an apple tart.
What many people out there don’ t necessarily know, is that you don’t need to be a professional baker to make your own.
It won’t take you more than half an hour to prepare your tart .
An additional 30 minutes for it to be baked devoured. .
We always make our own short crust, because its a child’s play, easy and quick to prepare.
You can punch your daily worries and troubles into the dough, if you have any.
Otherwise just enjoy your arm training while working the dough out. =)
- 150 g White Flour
- 70 g Butter
- pinch Salt
- 50 ml room temp. Water
- 2 big Apples
- 30 g Butter
- 2 Tbs Brown Sugar
- For the short crust pastry, mix first flour and Salt well. Then add the Butter bits and little water and work in the ingredients with your hand. Continue adding in the rest of the water and work out the dough. The result should be a smooth non sticky dough. Keep it to rest for 1 hour in a cold room or in the fridge.
- Peel your apples and cut them into slices as shown.
- Now roll out your dough to a circle with 3-4 mm thickness.
- Preheat your oven to 180 Celcius.
- Butter your form well! That will prevent the dough sticking on the form.
- Place the rolled out pastry into the form and fitt it in as shown.
- Place all the apple slices in a row as shown.
- Add some of the remaining Butter pieces to top the tart and sprinkle the sugar and place it into the oven for about 30 minutes at 180 Celcius.
- Best served still warm!
While they are having all the fun in Europe, I am in Goa watching my garden fruits growing over here.
Gosh those plants grow quickly in the Tropics!
I ll definitely post some pictures in the coming days in Twitter, Google+ and Facebook.
The Papayas are growing, the Passion Fruits are falling and we got a couple of new young trees today.
Exciting times to look out for!
In the mean while I got my mums flowers to charm your eyes.
Cucina49 says
Wow, that tart is gorgeous! I love all things apple-y and am envious of your trees!
Prathima Rao says
Delicious apple tart!! Stopping by after a long time..all recipes look mighty yumm!!! How u doing Helena?? U in India still ? Btw, reg your query to substitute mangoes with other fruits, I have already mentioned it under notes..hope that helps 🙂
Prathima Rao
Prats Corner
Helene says
Hi Prats… yes it has been some time. =) I am fine thanks for asking. just came back to goa some weeks ago. ah I knew I missed something when I was reading through your post. thanks though for letting me know.
Adora's Box says
How I wish we could switch places. I am here in London and enjoying the last of the summer days. Soon the summer fruits will be all gone and the autumn fruits are all we’ll have for sometime. This recipe for apple tart will surely come in handy then.
Helene says
yeah it would be practical to beam whereever we would like to be, right? Well at least u folks got some great quality apples that side (not that I am complaining about the Kashmiri apples, but those chinese apples here are awful).
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
Nothing gets me more excited than an apple pie or tart. Definite memory food for me as my mother or grandmother made at least one a week. Your parents’ garden must be magical!
Choc Chip Uru says
Your tart looks absolutely superb my friend 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Anita Menon says
wow.. i have never seen an apple tree in my life. You are so so lucky to have apples growing in your garden. Really loved going through the interesting post and about your parent’s gardening adventures. The tart looks beautiful!
Helene says
really, u have never seen an apple tree? wow! I feel like dragging u to europe and inviting you for a coffee there in our garden. =)
Terra says
Hi my sweet sweet friend!!!!! How have you been? I am sorry for not stopping by enough, keeping up only puts me behind, LOL:-) Apples, Fall, all together in one just make me the happiest girl! Your tart looks so beautiful, AND delicious:-) Hugs, Terra
Helene says
ah no worries, I know how difficult it is to catch up, even though I d love the spend more time doing that only. What would be the fall without apples right? ^.^
Christina @ Sweet Pea's Kitchen says
I wish I had my own apple tree…I would be in heaven! This apple tart looks incredible! 🙂
Parsley Sage says
Helene! This tart is spectacular! Way to make me miss apple treats!
Jamie says
With puff pastry in the fridge I’ve been toying with the idea of an apple tart – simple and delicious as yours (who needs anything besides sweet juicy apples?), but I’m holding off on apple desserts while we still have summer stone fruit. But apple pies are my family’s favorites.
Helene says
it’s a classic right? =D
Louise says
Lovely Tart Helene. I wish I knew a bit more about grafting. What fun to have a grafter in the family. I guess I would need to get me some trees fruit first!!!
Thanks so much for sharing…
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
This is the first apple tart recipe for me in the blogosphere. I am so not ready to celebrate “fall” just yet, but look at that yummy tart. Absolutely drool-worthy 😀
Mairi @ Toast says
What a wonderful apple tart Helene! Despite having spent the whole weekend eating I could definitely still squeeze in a slice of this!
Asmita says
Beautiful tart!
Nancy/SpicieFoodie says
Oh, I know it’s hard being away from family. Specially during times when fun activities are happening. Your tart looks so good Helene! I have to give it a try now that apples season is arriving. The rhyme is so cute, made me smile:) Have a great week!
Nami | Just One Cookbook says
I’m totally enjoying your dessert recipes – apple tart is by far my favorite! Such a classic and always the best. I put good vanilla bean ice cream on top.. that’s my comfort dessert for sure. Beautiful tart!!