Fresh Apple Tart

Ingredients

Pastry

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup ice water

Filling

• 8 firm apples, of choice (I Prefer Granny Smith)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small dice

Crumb Topping

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter (cold)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts

Directions

1. 1

   Place the flour and salt in the food processor.

2. 2

   Add the pieces of butter (or shortening) and briefly pulse for 5 to 10 seconds or until the mixture looks like coarse meal.

3. 3

   Add the ice water spoonful by spoonful, pulsing briefly a second or two after each addition until the dough just holds together.

4. 4

   Empty the dough out onto a lightly floured hard surface and shape the dough into a flat disk.

5. 5

   Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of one hour.

6. 6

   Roll out the dough into a circle with a thickness of about 1/8 of an inch.

7. 7

   Center the dough in a 9 inch tart or pie pan.

8. 8

   Preheat the oven to 375°F.

9. 9

   Peel the apples, remove the cores, and slice thinly.

10. 10

    Mix the apple slices together with the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.

11. 11

    Pour the apples into the prepared pie crust.

12. 12

    Dot the apples with butter.

13. 13

    Trim the edges of the pie with a sharp knife.

14. 14

    In a food processor, mix the flour, brown sugar and butter together until crumbly.

15. 15

    Stir in the walnuts and spoon the topping over the apples in the prepared pie crust.

16. 16

    Bake the tart for about 45 to 50 minutes, or until the crust is light brown and the apple filling is bubbly.

17. 17

    Cool for at least 15 minutes and serve.