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<\/a>\n\tMake this French apple tart and feel like a pastry chef!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
I think I\u2019m going to pick a fight with my son; it shouldn\u2019t be too hard. \u00a0I\u2019ll stand at his bedroom door while he does his homework and preach to him about the evil effects of multitasking and media on concentration.\u00a0 He hates that conversation and I can usually get him worked up into a pretty good frenzy when I bring in my bonus round of research data.\u00a0 If I can just get him to be rude or defiant, I might have enough emotional fodder for a really good blog entry.\u00a0 The problem is that I\u2019ve been losing that argument lately.\u00a0 He just pulls out his consistently A papers and tests that are shoved deep into his backpack at the end of the school day, puts his headphones back on, and quietly continues working<\/p>\n
Perhaps, I\u2019ll get him up early and needle him about eating breakfast, making his lunch, and point out that even though he did all the dishes last night, he forgot to wipe out the sink and finish the job.\u00a0 I\u2019ll follow up with a good threat about not getting his allowance.<\/p>\n
Wow, that just sounds grouchy and mean when I put it on paper. \u00a0I can’t believe I even think that, let alone say it outloud.<\/p>\n
I could yell at him to make his bed, but he\u2019s probably already finished that task.<\/p>\n
I almost got him last night.\u00a0 We both got home from school at the same time to find that the dogs had knocked over the garbage for the second time this week.\u00a0 That used to be Truman, our Labrador\u2019s specialty, but our new German Shepherd, Maggie, has taken it to a new and awe-inspiring level of \u201cdoggishness.\u201d\u00a0 Truman knocks it over and rummages for a mid-morning snack, and Maggie distributes every piece of garbage evenly throughout the house, including my bed.\u00a0 Yesterday\u2019s trash included about four cups of wet mustard seeds that had accidentally been thrown away after experimenting with making homemade Dijon, and there was a trail of tears that covered the entire kitchen and back patio.\u00a0 Andrew started to balk at having to rinse the trash bin out with a hose and I saw my opening. \u00a0But before I could get even a little reprimand out of my mouth he stopped me to say he just wanted to put on a sweatshirt because it was cold outside.<\/p>\n
I decided to go out for some fresh air and buy some more dog food. \u00a0Picking a fight just keeps getting harder and harder these days.<\/p>\n
As I drove I contemplated my options for drama. \u00a0Music practice?\u00a0 He made first chair. \u00a0Lazy teenager?\u00a0 He\u2019s training for the LA Marathon and started his first job tutoring a kid in math last Saturday.<\/p>\n
I guess now I\u2019m just bragging.\u00a0 Sorry.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s just that I\u2019m worried.\u00a0 The truth is that a good fight with a touching resolution is a sure-fire formula for a successful blog entry and it\u2019s been too long since I last posted. \u00a0Typical, isn\u2019t it?\u00a0 Fighting with Andrew is almost always more about me than him.<\/p>\n
I think I\u2019ll just enjoy the gift of the fabulous 15\u2019s for now.\u00a0 Sweet 16 is starting to peak its head over the horizon, and I know teenage driving in Los Angeles is sure to add some dramatic tension to our currently peaceful lives.<\/p>\n
Wait\u2026\u00a0 I have an idea.\u00a0 I\u2019ll make him one of his favorite desserts and then scold him for eating too much, too fast.\u00a0 That\u2019s surely a way to get his goat and give me something to write about.<\/p>\n
FRENCH APPLE TART<\/strong><\/p>\n Andrew used to ask for an ice cream cake for his birthdays, but the last few years it\u2019s been an apple tart that he prefers.\u00a0 It\u2019s also a great dessert for the end of a heavy meal or a mid-afternoon snack.\u00a0\u00a0 This was one of the first \u201cfancy\u201d desserts I learned to make over twenty years ago and even though the end result will make you feel like a pastry chef, it\u2019s really not hard at all.<\/p>\n An apple corer is a great tool to have on hand<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Sweet Short Crust Tart Dough<\/strong><\/p>\n This dough is easy to make and easy to work with.\u00a0 It is not a highly flakey American style crust, but it stands up well to the weight of the tart ingredients.\u00a0 I am giving directions to make it on the counter by hand, but it can be easily made in the food processor using the dough hook attachment.\u00a0 The kitchen should not be too hot and you should work the dough as little as possible to avoid a hard crust.<\/p>\n 1 \u00bd cups flour or 1 cup flour +1\/2 cup cake flour if you have it on hand<\/p>\n 1 large egg<\/p>\n 1 tablespoon cold water<\/p>\n \u00bc teaspoon salt<\/p>\n 3 tablespoons vanilla sugar (see kitchen Essential on the tab bar for the recipe)<\/p>\n 1 \u00bd teaspoons vanilla<\/p>\n 7 tablespoons slightly softened butter<\/p>\n 1 egg, slightly beaten, for glazing<\/p>\n You will need a 9-inch fluted removable-bottomed tart pan<\/p>\n Place the flour in a mound on your work surface and make a well in the middle.\u00a0 Add everything except the butter and lightly mix it together with your fingers or fork.<\/p>\n Getting dirty with some pre-food processor techniques <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Add the butter and using your fingers or pastry scraper work the butter into the wet mixture.<\/p>\n Nobody said it was low calorie!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Next, using a pastry scraper, slowly chop in the flour a little at a time until the dough is mostly incorporated.\u00a0 Don\u2019t worry if it\u2019s not smooth at this point.<\/p>\n Use a dough scraper to slowly incorporate the flour into the wet mixture<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Using the palm of your hand, push the dough away from you and massage it quickly and lightly into a smooth ball of dough.\u00a0 Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes.\u00a0 This last step is crucial.\u00a0 The dough needs time to relax before it is baked.\u00a0 This will help prevent it from shrinking too much away from the pan.\u00a0 You can make the dough 2 to 3 days ahead of time.<\/p>\n When ready to use, roll out the dough on a cool surface to about \u00bc inch thickness and into a 12-inch in round.<\/p>\n Not too thin and not too thick... about 1\/4 in thick <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Carefully fold the dough in half and place on a lightly greased tart shell. \u00a0Gently unfold the dough to fill the pan and lightly press the sides around the pan.<\/p>\n Fold the dough in half and gently lay over a pre-greased tart pan<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Fold the excess dough over the edges and roll your rolling pin over the pan to remove the excess dough.<\/p>\n gently roll the pin over the tart pan<\/p>\n<\/div>\n cut off the excess dough and try not to eat too much of it...<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Now, using your fingers, press the sides of the tart up over the edge of the pan and \u201chook\u201d it to the sides.<\/p>\n Place the tart shell back in the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.\u00a0 When hot, take the tart shell out and cover bottom with a 9-inch round of parchment or aluminum foil.\u00a0 Prick the bottom of the tart with a fork or pointed knife.\u00a0 Place weights in pan and bake for 15 minutes.<\/p>\n If you don't have ceramic pie weights, just use some dry beans<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Remove the tart shell from the oven and take out the weights.\u00a0 Brush the interior of the tart with the beaten egg glaze.\u00a0 Turn down the oven to 375 and bake for an additional 10 minutes.<\/p>\n Remove the shell from the oven and let cool.<\/p>\n Pre-baking the tart shell and using an egg glaze ensures the tart doesn't get soggy<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Applesauce Filling<\/strong><\/p>\n This filling works well for Pop Tarts and dessert dumplings as well.<\/em><\/p>\n 4 not too sweet apples, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped<\/p>\n 4 to 6 tablespoons unsalted butter<\/p>\n \u00bc cup vanilla sugar<\/p>\n 1 \u00bd teaspoons vanilla<\/p>\n Melt the butter in a saucepan large enough to comfortably hold the apples.\u00a0 When the butter has melted, add the apples and slowly cook on medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally until the apples are soft.\u00a0 Once the apples are soft and starting to fall apart, add the sugar and vanilla and use a potato masher to get them to the consistency that you want.\u00a0 I like the applesauce smooth, but leaving little pieces of apple in the sauce works well too.\u00a0 Cook until you have a sauce that isn\u2019t too wet.\u00a0 Set aside and cool.\u00a0 This can be made a day or two ahead.<\/p>\n Slow cooking the apples into a sauce<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Tart Glaze<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00bd cup apricot jam or currant jelly<\/p>\n 1 tablespoon brandy (fruity brandies like cherry, apple, or pear work well)<\/p>\n Bring both ingredients together in a small saucepan and cook until melted.\u00a0 If using apricot jam, strain the mixture through a sieve to eliminate the solids.\u00a0 This can be made ahead of time, but must be reheated before using.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tart Construction and Baking<\/strong><\/p>\n 3 apples, peeled and cored and thinly sliced<\/p>\n 1 prebaked tart shell<\/p>\n Applesauce filling<\/p>\n Tart glaze<\/p>\n Pre-heat oven to 375.<\/p>\n Fill the tart shell with the applesauce.<\/p>\n The apple sauce creates a sweet and butter base<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Cut the apples in half and using a very sharp knife or mandolin, cut the apples into thin slices.\u00a0 You will need a few very thin slices if you want to finish the tart off with an apple \u201crose\u201d in the middle.\u00a0 Starting from the outside and working in, layer the apples in an overlapping circle.<\/p>\n The first round of apples<\/p>\n<\/div>\n You will have one outer circle and a second interior circle.\u00a0 To create the \u201crose\u201d you will start from the outside and work your way in with small, thin pieces of apple until you have two or three layers. \u00a0This is easier than it sounds; it takes a little patience to get the apple slices thin enough to be pliable.<\/p>\n The center rose takes a bit of practice and patience<\/p>\n<\/div>\n On the middle rack, bake the tart for 20 to 25 minutes or until apples are cooked and starting to lightly brown.\u00a0 If the edges of the tart start to get too brown, cover them with foil.<\/p>\n Hot out of the oven and ready for ther glaze<\/p>\n<\/div>\n All that’s left is to glaze the tart. \u00a0Reheat the glaze and if needed, thin it with a bit of water. \u00a0Using a pastry brush, \u201cpaint\u201d the glaze over the entire tart.<\/p>\n<\/a>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<\/a>\n\t