" I Did it My Way " Saffron Apple Tart- Chocolate Epiphany

"A man who is stingy with saffron is capable of seducing his own grandmother."

Norman Douglas, English Writer (1868-1952)

I am the host for the blog group Chocolate Epiphany. The recipe I chose  for September, is the Honey and Saffron Apple Tart.  Perfect for the fall, and a chance to bake with saffron. Georgia apple season is right around the corner.

If you have this baking book and a member of this group will notice I did not follow the recipe- AT ALL!  The ingredients for the dough are the same, but the procedure is different.  So, I do not know if it qualifies as the group recipe. However, it now qualifies as mine. If you want the original recipe, go buy the book. I am just too lazy to type it, and Francois deserves the $$ .

Perfect segue for it's new name- ( Ya know JUST in case SOMEONE out there wants to offer me a cook book deal). Since me and ol "Blue Eyes" hail from the same state--Why NOT?

I love the smoke

 "I Did it My Way" - Saffron Apple Tart 
( I made 1/2 this entire recipe ).  The whole recipe will fill a 9 inch tart pan .

Sweet Tart Dough
 

4 Sticks ice cold unsalted butter-455 grams

1 cup and 2 tablespoons sugar -227 grams

3 large egg yolks 

1 large egg

6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour  650 grams 

 2 tablespoons ice water

 Combine flour, sugar in a food processor. Slowly add butter in chunks and pulse until forms a fine meal.  Add eggs slowly and continue pulsing. Check for moisture. If it does not clump when squeezed , add 1-2 tablespoon of ice water.   NO NOT OVER PROCESS. It should not come to a ball form . Keep crumbly.  Pour out onto a plastic wrap. Knead gently just until it comes together . Flatten and let rest in refrigerator for 30 minutes. 

 Brush sides and bottom of fluted tart pan with soft/melted butter. ( My rectangle pan is approx 13 by 5 inches ) 


On floured surface roll out dough into desired shape approx 1/4 inches thick. Gently press dough into pan. "Dock" or Prick the dough with a fork. 


PARTIALLY bake the dough. Pre-heat oven  to 375 degrees.  Cover dough in tart shell with plastic wrap and fill with beans of pie weights. Bake until tarts turns slightly brown and 3/4 of the way cooked. . Cool on cooling rack.  Remove weights/beans.

 dough "docked" and ready for bean fill 

Apples

3 apples- Granny Smith, Rome,- whatever baking apples you love

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter -15 grams 

2 tablespoons clover honey

1 tablespoon white sugar - optional if using all tart apples

2 tablespoons Calvados  apple brandy. 

Peel and core apples.  Cut into 8 equal wedges, then cut wedges  into slices. Approx 1/4 inch. . Heat butter in saute pan. Add white sugar and honey . C ook until melted . Add Brandy. Add apples . Turn to coat both sides of apples and cook until just soft. Cool apples in pan. 

 apples sliced and aranaged

Custard

1 tablespoon sugar -15 grams 

2 large eggs

1/2 cup half and half-125 grams

1 pinch of saffron 

Warm 1/2 cup of half and half in pot on stove. Add saffron. Cover with plastic wrap and let steep 15-30 minutes.  Whisk eggs and sugar together in a bowl. , add saffron infused half and half. Whisk. Strain thru a fine mess strainer. Reserve in the fridge until ready to use.

custard poured over apples

Assembly: 


Pre-Heat oven to 325 degrees F 


Arrange apples in desired pattern in tart shell. Pour custard over top of apples.  Bake until custard sets and there is a slight jiggle in the custard. Remove. Cool.

Golden hue of the saffron 

 
completed

Sliced and served 


 

The dough is sweet and flaky. A little soft on the bottom. I baked it on a sheet pan, next time I will not, maybe it will crisp more, or it could be the custard filling. -__- 

“Cock your hat - angles are attitudes.”

 Frank Sinatra