Classic Paleo Apple Tart
Apple Tart
A classic apple tart is ubiquitous during autumn and winter season. Of course you can make it any time. But it’s a typical fall and winter dessert. There are lots of varieties for apple desserts, a tart, pie or cake. Same as there are different types of doughs, pastries or crusts. In this case I made a paleo apple tart. With a gluten free crust base. You might already know this crust if you have been following our posts. You can use the same base for the Paleo Spinach Quiche and Rustic Plum Galette on our blog!
The apple tart is very popular in the Netherlands, the Dutch “appeltaart” is a famous dessert. Recipes for Dutch apple pie go back to the Middle Ages. My version is a little bit different from the traditional Dutch one because I didn’t cover the top of the apple filling with a layer of crust, I left it open. I laid out the top evenly with apple slices.
Tip!
Make the apple filling very thick, more like a dome, because it will flatten during the baking process.
A Lil’ Rum
For the crust I used almond flour and tapioca flour. I didn’t add any sugar to it, because the apple filling will be sweet enough. I mixed apple slices with coconut sugar and cinnamon. Oh, I almost forgot, I also added raisins which are also sweet! The raisins were soaked in rum, for a little extra kick. You can soak them in water too, if you don’t want to use alcohol. The fastest way is to put the bowl with rum and raisins in the microwave for 1 minute. If you don’t use microwave, you need more time for soaking, at least 20 minutes.
Apples
Apple pie can be made with many different sorts of apples. Elstar is one of my favorite apple varieties. The Elstar apple is an apple cultivar that was first developed in the Netherlands in Elst in the 1950s. But this does not mean that it is only available in the Netherlands. It quickly became popular, especially in Europe and was first introduced to America in 1972. Its flesh is white, and has a soft, crispy texture. It is often used in desserts because of its sweet flavor.
You can use Braeburn, Gala, Cortland, Bramley, Empire, Northern Spy, Granny Smith or McIntosh instead of Elstar, if they are more readily available.
Apple Tart Variations:
Classic Paleo Apple Tart
Equipment
- 26 cm diameter pie pan
Ingredients
Gluten free crust
- 200 gram blanched almond flour
- 50 gram tapioca flour
- 50 gram cold butter or ghee if you eat lactose free
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp ice cold water
Apple Filling
- 1,4 kg apple I used Elstar
- 4 tbsp coconut sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 80 gram raisins
- 50 ml rum golden
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tbsp apricot jam sugar free + extra apricot jam to brush the top of the tart
Instructions
Gluten Free Crust
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Mix the almond flour, tapioca and salt in a big bowl.
- Add the cold butter and crumble with the flour, mix very quickly by hand until it's roughly the size of peas. You have to work fast as to not overwork the dough. The crust's texture will not turn out good if you warm it up with your hands.
- Add eggs and mix quickly until combined.
- Add the ice-cold water and knead the dough into a ball.
- Sprinkle the dough with a bit of tapioca flour and slightly push it in. Place the dough between two pieces of baking papers.
- Roll it out into a bit bigger circle than your pie dish.
- Grease the pie dish with a bit of butter (ghee or coconut oil) and sprinkle with tapioca flour.
- Transfer the dough to the prepared pie dish. It's not easy but do not worry if the dough breaks or tears, you can push the dough back together by hand into the dish. Press the dough up the sides of the pan too.
- Lay one piece of baking paper to the top of the dough and fill with dry beans or pie weights. I use ceramic pie weights. The pie weights ensure the dough doesn't rise while baking.
- Bake it for 10 minutes. This process is called blind-baking.
- Remove the pie weights and the baking paper, and bake it for another 5 minutes.
Apple Filling
- Soak raisins in the rum. Easy and fast method if you put it into the microwave for 1 minute.
- Peel and deseed apples. Cut half and slice finely.
- Put apple slices into a big bowl.
- Add 1 tbsp cinnamon, 4 tbsp coconut sugar and 1 pinch salt.
- Take the raisins out from the rum and add to the apples.
- Mix the ingredients by hand very carefully, don’t break the apple slices.
- Smear the crust thinly with 1 tbsp apricot jam.
- Place the apple mixture on the top of the crust. Lay the top layer evenly.
- Put it into oven and bake for 1 hour. Don't worry, the apple filling during baking will be a little flatter.
- Take the apple tart out from the oven and apply a thin layer of apricot jam on top. Use a brush!
- Serve warm or cold. Enjoy!