Brought To You By 318Central.com ... Submitted by our Friend, Cathy Humphrey
My family and friends have different preferences this time of year, so I always make sure to do both Crumble Top Apple Tarts and Pecans Tarts together so everyone is happy!
Crumble Top Apple Tarts
Pie Crust Ingredients
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar, optional
1 cup very cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (2 sticks)
4 to 8 tablespoons ice water
Directions
Put flour in bowl add sugar and salt and blend together. (Can be done in food processor)
Add cold diced butter and blend using pastry cutter (or in food processor) until coarse crumbs and some pea-sized pieces form.
Add 7 Tbsp ice water and combine (or use food processor) just until clumps/small balls of dough form. Pinch a piece of dough between your fingers and if it sticks together, it’s done. If not add more ice water 1 tsp at a time.
Transfer dough to a flat work surface, and form a ball. Divide dough in half and roll out flattened into 2 thin disks. Use 2 1/2” biscuit cutter to cut circles to put into mini muffin pan.
Top Crumble Ingredients
- ½ cup granulated sugar or brown sugar (can do 1/2 and 1/2)
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 4-6 Tablespoons salted butter, slightly melted
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
Instructions
In a medium bowl, combine the flour and sugar. Add cinnamon, if desired.
Slowly drizzle the butter into the bowl while cutting the crumbs with a fork. Start with a few tablespoons and add more as needed to create crumbs. Do not over-mix. If over-mixed it will form a ball which will not crumble for topping.
Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Sprinkle on top of each of the mini tarts.
Pie Filling Ingredients
- 4 Granny Smith apples or Honeycrisp
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons water
Directions
Peel, core apples and thinly diced pieces
Melt butter in a large skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add the apples, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon. Stir to combine the ingredients. Simmer covered for 4 minutes. Don’t cook apple pieces away.
Put cornstarch and water in a small jar with lid and shake until smooth
Add the mixture to the pan while stirring. Allow the mixture to bubble and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the apples are soft and the filling is thickened.
Let the apple pie filling cool completely before using it in a recipe. Always remember that the filling will thicken more once it is cold. Then put apple into crust pieces in mini muffin pan. Don’t overfill to leave room for crumble.
Add crumble and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.
Makes approximately 25-30 tarts depending on size of your tart pan.
**Hint: can use canned apple pie filling or refrigerator pie crust instead of recipes above if in a hurry! If you do use canned filling chop apples pieces into small chunks.
Pecan Tarts
Makes 24 Tarts
Ingredients Tart Shells
- 3 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Filling
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
Directions
Tart Shells
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
For the tart shells, add the softened butter and cream cheese and mix until well blended. Add the flour and mix until it forms a smooth dough.
Roll dough into 1” balls. Put them in ungreased mini muffin pan . Use your thumb in the center of ball to form a hole and push up the sides of the pan until the dough goes above the rim of the pan. If it doesn’t reach the tip don’t worry the dough rises quite well.
Filling
Microwave butter in a measuring cup until melted. Add the vanilla, brown sugar, chop pecans in a bowl and stir them in.
Fill each tart shell with the filling
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cookies are light golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for a short time before using a knife to loosen the edges of the tart to a cooling rack.
Put on tray and serve!!
