If I close my eyes and think of home, I see candle lights and bookshelves, I hear laughter and my husband playing the piano, I smell fresh baked apple and cinnamon tart… From a recipe very much like this one. Crunchy and flaky golden perfection with a hint of vanilla sweet and salt and inside cinnamon fragrant melting apple slices.

This is a recipe for a classic Dutch Apple Tart. I tell you what, the Dutch do love their apple tarts! You may find them everywhere. Served warm or cold, served just on their own or with a ball of delicious vanilla ice-cream, looking posh or looking rustic… However they may catch your eye, you should definitely give them a try.

Making one at home is fairly easy. All you need is to prepare a crust pastry, roll the dough and shape the form. Fill the crust pastry with a mixture of apples, cinnamon and brown sugar and cover with pastry again. If you might feel adventures, you may mix apples and pears, add sultanas soaked in rum, or sprinkle almonds or walnuts inside the filling of the tart. Whatever takes your fancy, be yourself and enjoy a delicious golden slice!

Ingredients

For 20cm springform

• 250g flour
• 125g sugar
• 150g butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 lemon
• 500g apples
• 50g brown sugar
• 5og dry bread crumbs
• 1tsp cinnamon
• 2tsp corn flour
• 8g vanilla sugar essence Dr. Oetker
• salt

Method

Make the dough:
1. Combine the flour, sugars, vanilla, salt and lemon zest in a mixing bowl. With the mixer running, toss in the butter and mix until thoroughly combined. With the mixer running, add one egg and mix until it forms wet crumbs.
2. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead together. Reserve 1/3 of the dough for the top of the tart. Roll the remaining 2/3 of the dough into a 16″ round. Lift the dough onto the rolling pin and unroll over the pan. The dough will probably break apart but just piece it together to line the pan.
Assemble the tart:
1. Cut each apple into quarters and slice each quarter into 1/4 thick slices. Toss the sliced apples with the granulated brown sugar and the cinnamon. Sprinkle the bread crumbs into the bottom of the tart shell and then pour the apples over the bread crumbs. The pan will be about 2/3 – 3/4 full.
2. Brush the inside of the tart shell from the apples the to top with egg wash. Roll the remaining dough into a 10″ round. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the dough into 1″ wide strips. Arrange the strips in a lattice pattern over the apples (see how to weave a lattice here). Trim the excess dough from the tart and brush the top of the crust with egg wash. Sprinkle the top of the tart with granulated sugar.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 175C. Bake for about 50 minutes until the apples in the middle are tender and the juices are bubbling. Cool completely in the pan.
4. To unmold the tart, run a knife around the edge to make sure the crust isn’t sticking and then release the pan.