Okay, so there isn’t actually an Apple Tart recipe in Martha’s American Food. However there is a Cinnamon Applesauce recipe on page 71 of the All-American section. So I decided to use a little All-American ingenuity and use her applesauce to create an apple tart.
I used some Red Delicious apples for the applesauce, which is very easy to make and once you try it you’ll never want to go back to store bought jars again! Using a frozen pie crust (yes, I’ll admit it, I used a pre-made shell and yes, it would have been even better if it were a homemade one!) I did a 15 minute blind bake (which is cooking the shell in advance of making the tart or pie). After it turned just lightly brown I filled it with applesauce that I also added raisins to for a little extra flavor. I topped it off with paper thin sliced pieces of apple that I arranged around the tart in overlapping pieces until I made a flower design in the middle and brushed the top with some melted butter. I let it cook for another 15 minutes and finally brushed on some peach jam that I melted with a bit of water on the stove and cooked it for 10 more minutes to give the tart a nice glaze.
I used to make a tart like this back in culinary school and it always drove me crazy because I could never get the apple slices thin enough. But back in school I wasn’t allowed to use my trusty Japanese mandoline to get the job done right — it really makes a difference! I also find that there’s a big difference when you’re cooking in a relaxed manner, which I pretty much never did back in school, because I think the finished product always comes out better when you’re cooking happy!
Martha’s cinnamon applesauce makes the perfect filling for this easy tart! It’s not only delicious but it’s pretty to look at. Of course, applesauce goes well with so many things. You can use it as a side dish with a roasted pork, spread it on freshly baked bread or even just eat it on its own!
