Apple Walnut Tart that’s almost too pretty to eat… ALMOST!
Hello everyone!
I’m here in Minnesota, a quick pit stop and visit with my sister before the big move to Madison, WI on Friday. Last week was such a whirlwind with the packing and moving and leaving the house in Washington. . but I am starting to get excited about the move.
These next couple of weeks will be all about settling in and unpacking so I reached out to a few friends and asked for some guest post help.
I am SO thrilled to bring you this freaking GORGEOUS Apple Walnut Tart from my friend, Allie today. Allie blogs at Baking A Moment. We recently met in person at IFBC and she is the sweetest person you will ever meet. Her blog is amazingly beautiful and with recipes like Vanilla Malt Layer Cake with Cashews and Salted Caramel and Apple Cinnamon Pancake Cupcakes, you can absolutely see the Pastry Chef in her come shining through.
Allie now has the greatest job in the world- being a mother to her two small boys. And after the kids are off at school, she heads straight to the kitchen where you will find her whipping up something fantastic. Those quiet moments in the kitchen are her oasis. Her desserts are pure loveliness and are so beautiful. My jaw dropped when I saw this apple walnut tart. Stunning.
So. . without further ado, here’s Allie!
Apple Walnut Tart with Maple Custard
Your Guests will be Wowed by this Gorgeous Apple Tart of Roses, with a Toasty Walnut Crust and a Silky Sweet Maple Custard Filling. And it’s Gluten Free!
Hey everybody! I’m so happy to be guest posting for Alice today! My name is Allie and I blog (mostly desserts) over at Baking a Moment. I’ve been following Hip Foodie Mom for a loooooong time and Alice has been such an inspiration to me all throughout my blogging career!
I was so lucky to have had the opportunity to meet her a month or so ago, at IFBC Seattle. You guys, she’s every bit as nice in person as she is here at Hip Foodie Mom. So down to earth, honest, and sweet. I was nervous to meet her but she put me right at ease, and then proceeded to go above and beyond, befriending me and mentoring me in every possible way. Here’s a pic of us having breakfast together with her whole crew (who she introduced me to and let me tag along with all weekend long):
Photo Credit: Nancy of GottaGetBaked.com. Left to right: The Urban Mrs., Gotta Get Baked, Mr. Allie, Moi, and Alice herself, of Hip Foodie Mom, of course.
We’re all besties now 😉 I feel so lucky to be able to count her as a friend. And I’m sooo honored to have been invited to guest post here at Hip Foodie Mom while Alice and her family make their big move from Seattle to Madison!
When we were at IFBC, one of the fabulous things we got to do was to hop a tour bus (in small groups) and get wined and dined by one of several fabulous restaurants in the city of Seattle. Alice and I did not get paired up in the same group together, but we met up the next day (of course!) and compared notes. Alice got to eat at Sitka & Spruce, and she could not stop raving about the fruit tart they served for dessert. She said that it was probably the best fruit tart she’s ever eaten!
Well, I don’t know if this one can reach that lofty status, but from that point on, whenever I think of Alice I’ll automatically associate fruit tarts, so….
This one has a bit of a fall spin, with tart and juicy apples (I used Macoun), a creamy maple custard, and a toasty walnut crust. And it’s gluten free!
Have you seen this “apple pie of roses” floating around on Pinterest? It put a spell over me the minute it appeared in my feed, and I couldn’t wait to give it a twirl! Bad news is, the original seems to have a pretty bad reputation for repeated failure. So I just did my own thang here. I really like how it came out!
Apples are sliced paper thin (a mandoline is useful for this), and bathed in lemony water. Then, the secret is just to microwave the apple slices for a few seconds (40 seemed to be the sweet spot on my microwave), just to make them a little softer and more pliable. Roll the first one in a tight-ish spiral and then just arrange the rest in a concentric pattern all the way around. The custard serves as a little bed for the apples and it holds them in place nicely. It’s a little fussy I guess but I just love the visual impact!
Can you imagine this stunner on your Thanksgiving table! Your guests will be wowed!
If you’re making it in advance, I’d advise brushing the apples with a little warmed apricot jelly mixed with the juice of half a lemon. This will give the tart a gorgeous sheen as well as keep the apples from getting too browned. Although I do sorta like the antiquey look the oxidized apple roses give too!
- 2½ cups walnut pieces (don't waste your money on halves)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 egg white
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ cups milk (I used 1%)
- 6 egg yolks
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 apples (I used Macoun), quartered, cored, and thinly sliced (keep in lemon water until ready to use)
- juice of a lemon
- ¼ cup apricot jam, warmed (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a food processor or chopper, pulse the walnuts until the are finely chopped, and the pieces are about the size of breadcrumbs.
- Place the chopped nuts in a large bowl and add the remaining ingredients, tossing together with a fork.
- Press the mixture evenly over the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Pour the milk into a small pot and place over medium heat until small bubbles form around the edges.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the maple syrup, cornstarch, and salt.
- Slowly pour the hot milk over the egg mixture, while whisking, to warm the eggs.
- Place the mixture back into the pot and place over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a bubble and becomes very thick.
- Stir in the vanilla and transfer to a heat safe container. Lay plastic wrap over the surface. Chill for 2 hours.
- Spread the maple custard in the walnut tart shell.
- Warm the apple slices in the microwave until pliable.
- Roll a slice of apple into a tight spiral and stand it up vertically in the custard. Continue to arrange apple slices in a concentric pattern, around the first one, building a rose pattern.
- Warm the apricot jam, and thin it with lemon juice. Brush this glaze over the apples, for shine and to prevent browning (optional).
Happy Housewarming, Alice! I think you are going to love Madison. Just bundle up, girlfriend! 😉 And thank you so much for the opportunity to talk at all your readers today! Hope you enjoyed the apple walnut tart recipe, Hip Foodie Mom peeps!
Wow. That is beautiful. Absolutely beautiful!!! Going to check out her blog now.
Brandi,
I know, right?!!! Yes, check out Allie’s Blog! 🙂
Allie that is the most beautiful apple tart I have ever seen!!! Simply gorgeous and amazing! I love it and I am stealing this one for my forever recipes!!! Wow!!!!!!!! Thanks! Good luck with the move to Wisconsin! I am in ND! 😀
Thank you for the well wishes on the move. . and YES! I am also going to attempt this one – maybe for Thanksgiving! Allie, over at Baking A Moment, is a genius!!! I love this.
This is the most gorgeous tart I’ve ever seen!
And I’m so happy I discovered your blog thanks to Allie, it looks perfect! Good luck with the move 🙂
Thank you so much, Consuelo! yes, I am in awe of Allie!!! She is fabulous and this tart is just magical! 🙂
My jaw dropped. This is unbelievably gorgeous Allie! Not enough words to describe how ethereal it looks. I don’t even care for the recipe, I’m sure it’s great, but I can’t stop staring…
I know, right?! Totally going to try this. So beautiful.
Beautiful to look at! How about the taste?
we’ll have to ask Allie .. but I bet it was delicious! Allie?
Thank you to everyone for the awesome feedback! I’m so glad you all like the tart so much. It was fun putting it together!
I ended up giving it to my neighbor, because we are always overrun with sweets around here (I’m sure you can imagine!). She said it was great! I tasted each of the components individually but not after it was all assembled. The crust is so good. Chewy and nutty and toasty, with a little salty bite that contrasts so nicely with the silky sweet maple custard. They custard is so creamy! And the apples give that tart and juicy fall flavor. I think you guys will love it!
Thanks so much for reading everyone! And have a happy and safe Halloween! 😀
Alice + Allie = Awesome. Beautiful tart.
All the best with the move Alice — Seattle got just a little bit darker while Madison is a now a whole lot brighter.
I can’t get over this tart. The crust looks delectable crumbly, and the filling looks smooth and decadent, but those apple roses really are a showstopper. Pinning this beauty!
Your cake is wonderful and you must be excellent in your kitchen! I would like to do it myself. Do you have a translation in Italian? I would much appreciate it!
I am going to make this tonight as a practice round for when Christmas time comes. The only thing is that I don’t have a micrwave (I know, weird). I am going to try and steam the apples very briefly to see if that works too. I am really excited about making this, thanks!
oh how exciting!! Let us know how it turns out!!
How did the apples work without a microwave? I don’t have one either and need a plan B.
Thanks!
Susan
Hi Susan,
The next best thing would probably be to blanch them in simmering water. It’s going to be a little bit of a trick to find that sweet spot, where they’re soft but not too soft. Once you get them just so, you might want to plunge them into an ice water bath to stop the cooking process. Maybe just do a handful at a time until you figure out how you like them. Good luck to you! Please let us know if you make this!! Have a great day!
gorgeous! I am about to make this but have a question: you don’t have to bake the custard??
Hi Amanda! This custard gets cooked on the stovetop, rather than baked in the oven. It’s very much like a pastry cream. Good luck & thanks for reading!
The original “apple pie of roses” recipe had you bake the tart, resulting in the gorgeous, antique-y roses. I’m thinking of putting the chilled tart under the broiler just to “wilt” the roses a bit. Thoughts?
Hi Jen, I don’t know what that would result in and anytime you place anything under the broiler, you need to watch it. . it can go bad fast. Not sure I would recommend the broiler for this.
I’m loving this beautiful shared blog posting today!! so inspired!
Thank you!
This tart is so beautiful. I wolud like to make it at my home, but I’m wondering how you made those roses? I couldn’t find any instruction for that. Maybe I missed that but I read whole recipe very carefully and I didn’t found that.
I’m really sorry for my english. Hope you will find out what I meant 🙂
Hi Justyna!
Thank you for your comment! Allie says, “Apples are sliced paper thin (a mandoline is useful for this), and bathed in lemony water. Then, the secret is just to microwave the apple slices for a few seconds (40 seemed to be the sweet spot on my microwave), just to make them a little softer and more pliable. Roll the first one in a tight-ish spiral and then just arrange the rest in a concentric pattern all the way around. The custard serves as a little bed for the apples and it holds them in place nicely. It’s a little fussy I guess but I just love the visual impact!” and then read “Assemble the Tart” within the recipe card. Please let me know if that helps! thank you!! 🙂
Thank you very much for you response. I have a little problem, i don’t have microwave at home, can I put apple slices in to the oven for few seconds?
Hi Justyna! Someone else actually said the same thing. Here is what you should do: “The next best thing would probably be to blanch them in simmering water. It’s going to be a little bit of a trick to find that sweet spot, where they’re soft but not too soft. Once you get them just so, you might want to plunge them into an ice water bath to stop the cooking process. Maybe just do a handful at a time until you figure out how you like them. That is what I did with my microwave. I was figuring it out as I went along”- let us know if this works for you!
Welcome to Madison…it’s a great place to me! I can’t wait to try this lovely tart 🙂
Thank you!!
Oh, it’s so beautiful. Just wondering though if I could replace the walnuts with almonds as I’m allergic to walnuts? Thanks!
Hi Maria,
I’m sure that would be fine. Please let us know how it turns out! 🙂
meravigliosamente bella!
It is lovely! How do you roll a round apple on a flat mandolin to get those long slices which are rolled into roses. Will I lose the beauty of the presentation when cutting slices?
I’m not sure! LOL Good point! I have an apple peeler corer…I wonder if that would do it if I set the peeling to a large gap? Hmmmmm……:)
I’d like to know, too. How do you get long thin strips like that with a mandolin?
I haven’t tried it yet, but you core the apple by cutting straight across the apple with four lines, making a square core. That gives you pieces with a flat edge to slide across the mandolin, and the pretty peel can be on the outer edge. There’s a video out there somewhere 🙂
There are other posts on Pinterest on how to roll them. I had questions too on how to cut them. There are some pictures. (Except don’t add dough to the bottom for this tart recipe) search for: Apple roses by Manuela
That should she you some good pictures
I’m going to try this for Christmas this year. Excited to try it!! 😊
Thanks for sharing!!! I just watched her video!!!
This is pretty but I wish that you would post some process photos or a video instead of just posting pictures of the finished product over and over again. It’s really hard to understand how to assemble all of the apple slices to make them look like roses, and the whole thing is just so complicated that just putting up the recipe and a billion pictures of the same tart from different angles isn’t really helpful at all.
Love this beautiful tart! I just got to the part in the recipe where you are told to insert the apples to the custard…. the only thing is that the custard (first simmered until thickened, then refrigerated until cold), is still in liquid form. I’ve looked up three other custard recipes and they are all baked in the oven. How might you recommend that we proceed with this recipe? Any ideas? I’d love to end up with the beautiful custard tart that you shared in the photos above!
If you look closely, I don’t think they’re long strips, but they appear to be. They look like they’re just thin slices from the mandolin, cut in half: if you mandolin-cut an apple, you get a thin, circular cut. If you slice that in half, you get a half-moon, and I that to me looks what was used here.
Hello. I made this tart as a trial run for Thanksgiving and it did not turn out well at all. The instructions are not written very well in terms of the custard. The crust turned out wonderful though.
The custard instructions do not state how long to cook it. Everything was going well, I was whisking away, tempered the eggs, the custard thickened until it coated the back of a wooden spoon so I took it off the heat and strained it and let it cool. Several hours later, I check on it and it’s liquid. My husband who has made custards before said I didn’t cook it long enough. I showed him the recipe and while he says the recipe itself looks good ( the ingredients and measurements) he said the directions were horrible for a novice. Anyway, he fixed the custard for me and we go onto the apples.
The instructions do not say how thin the slices are. The smallest setting on my mandolin is 1.5mm. I put them in a lemon water bath and microwave for 40 seconds. Check. 40 more. I think I must have microwaved them for a minute and a half and they were still breaking when rolled. I ended up breaking everything up and served it parfait style which didn’t have any visual impact.
Either the directions need to be much more specific or there need to be pictures or a video to follow. I will try this again and maybe see if I can find a mandolin with smaller settings or a different apple. I used Gala.
But the custard recipe needs more explanation. Thank you for your time.
Hi there,
Thank you for the comment! It’s always great to get feedback from the real world. . I will pass this on to Allie and ask about the custard recipe!
Hi I’m gonna make this for our Thanksgiving dessert and I was wondering if 2 apples is all you need to make this? It doesn’t seem like it but I would like to know please.
Thank you.
Hi Sarah,
I would think you would need more like 4-5 apples. But I will ask Allie. Not sure she will be checking email today but I will let you know! Happy Thanksgiving!
I just made this today. It wasn’t an epic failure or a success either. The biggest problem was that my custard didn’t set! Which is incredibly frustrating. Mostly because last year for Thanksgiving the dessert I made had a custard base also and it didn’t work last year either. I didn’t ever realize that I was making another custard till I was making it this morning. The other problem was I sliced my apples and put them in the lemon water right when I put my custard in the fridge, but my custard wouldn’t set (I ended up making another batch of custard, which didn’t work either). So, my apples sat in lemon water for hours and they a little water logged. After nuking them they just seemed soggy. After the apples where in (which turned out fairly nice) I put the whole thing in the freezer. I’m not sure how it will taste, but it looks pretty.
Hello Kayla,
Thank you for letting us know! Seems there are a few people who have expressed frustration with the custard. I’m so sorry about that. Please let me know if putting the tart in the freezer helped! In the meantime, I’m going to ask Allie if she has any other tips re: the custard.
I’m sure the problems with the custard are just my lack of experience making custard. Some tips would be helpful. Freezing the tart did work in the aspect that it didn’t make a gigantic mess (like my custard pie did last year), but the apples and the tart had a funny texture. I did still get compliments on it. The crust was the best part.
Hey Guys!
So I tried out this tart and I thought I’d address some of the concerns that I read about in your comments 🙂 For starters:
The Crust
Notice that the recipe card says “mixture” and when you make it, it really is a MIXTURE. It’s deep brown and has the consistency of cake batter unlike many graham cracker or cookie crusts out their which are mostly still powdery. So don’t fret when you can’t really “press” it into the pan like the recipe card says. It’s more of like spooning it into the pan and patting it flat and pushing it to coat the sides. Don’t worry! Even though it’s like batter, it will stick. One last tip about the crust is that it really does cook very fast so either take it out after exactly fifteen mins, if not before! Keep an eye on it! The crust was probably my favorite part of the tart.
The Custard
I too had a hard time cooking the custard. The tempering of the eggs went fine. It helps to have two pairs of hands and to STIR, STIR, STIR. My custard had more of a custard consistency before I added in the eggs, but after the eggs got added, the consistency was lost. However, I kept cooking till it “coated” the spoon. I spent about 30 mins on the whole process. I then let my custard cool, covered it, and placed it in the refrigerator. I checked on it about an hour or two later and even though it was thick, it still was too liquidy for a custard. So, in trying to figure out how to fix the custard, I looked online and found this helpful link:
http://www.annathered.com/2009/04/02/how-to-make-custard-cream-with-a-microwave/
Even though her custard recipe wasn’t the same, I followed her microwave instructions for custard, What I did exactly was microwave it on high for 1min 30secs, and it came out fluffly like custard around the edges of the bowl. I then microwaved it for another 1min and 30secs, like Anna’s instructions said, and the custard came out fluffy around the edges once more but lost the consistency when I stirred it. So, i deviated a little and microwaved the custard for 2mins and 30sec and this time the whole bowl of custard was the right consistency and did not loose the consistency once I stirred. In addition, the batter was not made rancid due to microwaving so no worries.
The Apple Flowers
Yes, the apple flowers are made using a mandolin set on the thinnest setting. I cored the apples and cut them into fourths in which they were long fourths not cube like fourths. Then I sliced the apple quarters so that the apple slices would be LONG and shaped almost like a semi-circle. I placed the apples in lemon water to prevent browning and that trick definitely worked. For me, I had to bake the apples in the microwave for about 80 seconds before they were pliable not 40secs like the recipe card. Then to make the flowers, you kind of pick a smaller apple, semi-circle slice and roll it tightly to create the center of the rose and stick that spiral into the custard with the peel of the apple sticking up. You want to roll down the length of the semi-circle apple slice! Not the width! Then you just arrange the other semi-circle apple slices around the center spiral by bending them so they enclose the center spiral.
The Taste
This tart is perfect for people who like the consistency of apple pie, who like earthy tasting treats, and who can handle mushy like consistencies. This tart definite;y has many mushy tasting elements. Since the apples get “baked” in the microwave, they lose their crunch. Everyone knows custard is like pudding, however, the crust has a bite to it unlike everything else. In addition, the reason why the tart taste super healthy and earthy and even kind of nutty is because as you’ll notice, not a lot of sugar was really added, and the only flavorings are the vanilla, maple syrup, and the apples. Even though the custard has maple in it, the maple definitely doesn’t overwhelm and is even kind of hard to detect. This is just my view on the taste, if I were to make it again, I would add more sugar to the crust, and more maple to the custard. I am definitely a sweets kinda girl, I can’t really handle soggy textures, and a normally prefer brownies, cakes, and cookies to even tarts with non-baked fruit on top so if you’re like me this may not be the dessert for you.
However, this tart was fun to make. You feel great achieving the final look and it is definitely a healthy dessert to have lying around. It’s appearance is definitely a show stopper!
Alex Biera
This is unbelievably beautiful! Decided its my Valentine’s bake! Can’t wait to tuck into this!!
So, I saw this post a few months ago and decided that I was going to finally bake this for my parents 25th anniversary. Suffice to say this has to one the worst recipes to follow. The crust came out tasting terrible, and I like gluten free desserts! I am a baker, and also teaching at a pastry school. Now, the custard is a totally different story. Made three times and each time it came out horrible. The best way to make this recipe work is to use a walnut tart dough recipe and for the custard do a simple pastry cream recipe and add the maple syrup after the cream and egg mixture has been tempered. I’m also sure that this isn’t just your recipe, but this is a no good recipe.
hi Sheena,
thank you for this comment. . yes, this was a guest post from one of my dear friends. . thank you for your honest feedback . . I will pass it on.
Beautiful looking, but that’s it.
Made this recipe and it’s terrible! Crust tastes horrible, and custard came out even worse!! Your better off with a walnut tart dough and pastry cream flavored with maple syrup…instead of this mess.
Thank you for the gorgeous recipe, I tried it out myself with a few improvisations (I’m not keen on walnuts) so I did a chocolate and biscuit base instead 🙂 Yours looks simply amazing, I tried my best to recreate it but I’m a complete novice and this was my first ever attempt at anything like this haha you can view my try here http://babysandflowers.tumblr.com/post/85633417681
Thank you again for thiss recipe! 🙂
Hi Sophie!! yours looks beautiful!!!! great job!!! thank you for the comment!!!
Thank you for the recipe!! I know I’ve got a new favourite foodie blog! Looking forward to scouring the site for more gorgeous recipes x
Wow this is GORGEOUS!!! totally inspired! 🙂
I think this would be great using caramel instead of maple syrup! It’s on my To-Do list!
So Absolutely Gorgeous!
Heyyyy loved this so attempted to make this… when I sliced into it to serve it completely collapsed as the custard was so liquidy…. should I have baked it again with the custard and apples in it?
Hi Hayly,
We just updated the custard instructions as others had problems with it too. . so please take a look above. . the recipe card has been updated!! Thank you! and please let us know if you try this again! Thank you so much!
I just saw this and my first thought, “Wow! That’s gorgeous!”
Thank you. . Allie is a genius!! 🙂 Check out her blog at BakingAMoment.com! 🙂
Love this and will make it – don’t have that variety of apple in the UK, but any red/pink skinned firm variety should work.
The walnut crust on it’s own is going into my forever file – gluten free and interesting! Will experiment with pecans too!
Thank you!
Hello Claire, sounds fabulous! Please let us know when you make it and how it turns out for you! and by the way, we just (on 9/23) updated the custard recipe instructions. . wanted to let you know in case you printed the recipe card already. Cheers!
I tried this tart for thanksgiving. I would say I do not like failure as I do bake a lot . Specially when you have guest at the table . I loved the base ,have to make very sure that the walnuts are fresh. May be another tablespoon of sugar to bring out the sweetness.
As for the custard just a horrible texture . Very embarrassing when I cut it . Very runny even after I took it upon myself to put it on the fire and kept stirring with a whip to get the thickness but still a failure. The next time I am not going to use the cornstarch as it was still raw tasting wit the time suggested by you. That’s why I kept it a little longeron the fire. I found a new flour called Wondra quick mixing flour. Very pretty to look at though . There was not much sweetness to the custard either. I was thought by a chef who cooked for the Kennedys many years ago. When you want to make a dessert ,you do not spare on the butter or the sugar .thanks any how
Hello Marina! Did you make this for Thanksgiving last year? We recently (on Sept 23) updated the custard recipe and instructions above. . so just wondering if you worked off of Allie’s updated recipe card. Thank you for the comment.
We are Canadian ,our thanksgiving was this weekend
This is the worst recipe! The instructions were terrible and the custard was so running I hated it
Hi Vanessa,
I am so sorry to hear this!!! Allie just updated the custard recipe so I am adding it to the recipe card now!!! again, our sincere apologies!!!
I can’t find any McCown apples. Any other suggestions?
Hello Susan,
Any red skinned firm variety (like red delicious, honey crisp, jonagold, gala) should work. Hope that helps!
So dreamy! Do you have any suggestions on how to combime this custard recipe with fruit pulp like persimmons?
Who posts a recipe on a food blog that hasn’t even been tasted after completion…and microwaved apples? No thanks. But this does look gorgeous, I’m off to go locate the authentic French recipe sans microwave.
Hi! Im Making this right now and im wondering if youre supposed to bake it more after you assemble it?? My custard is thick but isnt it supposed to be like the consistency of a creme brulee before firing it? Hope you get this asap! Thanks!!!!!
Hi Krissy, you do not bake it more after assembling. After assembling the rose apples, warm the apricot jam, and thin it with lemon juice. Brush this glaze over the apples, for shine and to prevent browning (this is optional). I’m sorry but I can’t speak to the consistency of your custard. Taste it and if it’s good, you’re good to go! Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you so much!!! I guess it’s like the consistency of pudding. Does that sound right?
I just finished this tart. Decided to spice up Thanksgiving this year. It turned out fantastic!!! I followed the above recipe exactly. Thank you!
SO GREAT to hear, hooray and Happy Thanksgiving!!
Made this for Thanksgiving yesterday and it was a WIN! Great taste and beautiful!
Thank you!!!
Hooray!!! so happy to hear this!! 🙂 Thank you for letting us know! 🙂
The tart looked gorgeous- I used Rome apples and the color was perfect. The custard was my favorite part, though the apples were good too. I’d modify the crust a bit next time because I thought the texture was a bit too mealy for the smoothness of the custard and apples. I’m so thrilled that something that looked so impossibly beautiful actually came out as promised. Thanks for sharing this!
Abigail, that is so GREAT to hear. . thank you for sharing!!
i made this for Christmas dinner with slight modifications. I used coconut milk for the custard and coconut sugar. It was very good!
Hi Catherine! Thank you for letting me know! 🙂 Happy Holidays!!
Hi! I thought your tart was gorgeous! But I had a few questions: For the apples, and when you’re cutting them with the mandolin do you core them at all? And also do you have any other type of crust ideas? I would like to make a gluten free one, but Many of my relatives are allergic to tree nuts, and wouldn’t want them to have a reaction! Thank you!
Hi Josie! Sorry for the late response! Allie, the author of this recipe, says, “Apples are sliced paper thin (a mandolin is useful for this), and bathed in lemony water. A reader wrote the following: “the apple flowers are made using a mandolin set on the thinnest setting. I cored the apples and cut them into fourths in which they were long fourths not cube like fourths.” You can read the rest of the reader’s comment above. It’s the long one. As for the crust, you can look up a recipe for a gluten-free crust. . just google it! I’m sure you can find a bunch using gluten-free flour. Hope this helps!!!
Could I make a regular apple pie and use the walnut crust? If so, do I need to bake it before hand or just with the apples in it. Will it be soggy?
Hi Val, I’m sorry. . this is a recipe for an apple walnut tart. . are you asking if you need to bake the crust beforehand? Please clarify.
Val, if the question is, do you need to bake the crust beforehand, the answer is yes. You are baking the crust at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
My name is also allie, also this recipe is amazing
There is no approximate bake time for after you assemble the apples in the custard. I’m assuming 30minutes or until browned, but an approximate time would help the recipe. Thank you
Hi Heather,
You don’t bake the tart again after you’ve spread the custard (which is already prepared) into the baked and ready walnut tart shell. After you’ve arranged the apple roses and brushed with the glaze (optional), it’s ready to serve. There is no additional baking time.
My roommate and I made this tart for fun over the weekend, and it turned out GREAT! We didn’t have a tart pan available to us, so we used a pie tin instead. The crust spread over the edges of the pan overbaked a touch, as it wasn’t meant to be exposed to such direct heat, but overall it was delicious and beautiful and got so many compliments from housemates and guests. Next time I think we’ll need to re-chill the assembled tart some before serving, as slicing proved a challenge, and also to arrange the “roses” in a more slice-friendly pattern (unfortunately the beautiful design dissolved as soon as we took a knife to it). Wonderful recipe, such a treat, and sure to be a hit! Thank you!
Photo of our tart/pie: https://flic.kr/p/rEjKD4
Ariel, thank you for sharing!!! GORGEOUS!!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it and thanks for the additional tips! 🙂
merci pour cette recette, il s’agit d’une tarte du chef français Alain Passart, mais ta version me plait mieux. Ce fond de tarte aux noix doit être très délicieux. Je la ferais prochainement et ne manquerais pas de te citer sur mon blog de quatresaisonsaujardin.com. Très bonne journée et un bonjour de France
I made this tart a few weeks ago for a bridal shower! It was beautiful and very tasty too!
Hooray!!! thank you for sharing, Josee!!!
Okay, so nobody worry about the custard. It’s all good. I was skeptical, but with the updated recipe you can totally make the custard right. Here is what I suggest:
– As Ali Ramos/Alex Biera recommended a while back, use more maple syrup. Instead of using 1/2c, I filled my liquid measure halfway between the 1/2c and the 3/4c marks. I think you can add even more and still be safe. That little bit I added provided a rich, more distinctly maple flavor.
– My custard did not thicken by simply whisking in the warm milk. After realizing this, I took the liquid custard and re-heated it, with the milk already incorporated. (You CAN re-heat custard that has failed to thicken. This link explains the science of custard and how to troubleshoot: https://www.craftybaking.com/learn/baked-goods/custard/problems-and-solutions).
– With the heat on medium-high, stir occasionally but don’t be clingy. The custard likes its space. Do watch it, though. AS SOON as you see pea-sized bubbles (they will emerge with some resistance, not rapidly like with boiling water), turn off the heat. The mixture might look lumpy but it has not curdled. Whisk out the clumps and you will have a wonderful thick, creamy custard with the consistency of yogurt. It tastes rich and sweet, yet not overpowering. I can’t wait to see what it will taste like along with the crust and apples.
– good luck
Hi Emma, thanks so much for this thoughtful comment!!! Glad you had success with the custard!
I can attest to Emma’s Response on 8/13/2015; there’s NOTHING wrong with the recipe. There’s a few things that I would like to add:
I believe that when you are in the final stage of cooking your custard (after you’ve warmed the egg mixture with your milk), you should keep your custard at a MEDIUM temperature. After a little bit of worry (my custard wasn’t thickening), I followed Emma’s instructions and IMMEDIATELY my custard thickened quickly. I think the medium-high is a bit too high for beginners because the custard will begin to form clumps of skin as you are stirring…
I watched a Creme Brulee video on Youtube by Gemma Stafford from Bigger Bolder Baking and she passed her custard through a sieve before transferring it from the stovetop to the baking dish to remove all of the eggy bits. This may be an excellent step if you’ve discovered your custard has cooked too quickly.
But, if you keep the custard at a medium temperature and stir occasionally, you might be able to avoid the clumps all together. A LOW temp would be wayyy too low and take way too much time.
is it possible to sub the milk with almond milk?
Hi Talia! We have not tried with almond milk so can’t say for certain but it works with coconut milk for sure!!! Let me know if you try it!
I was wondering if this beautiful work of art will store (refrigerate) well overnight or needs to be served soon after making? Despite the lemon juice, I worry about the apples turning color.
Hi Sue! yes, I would recommend serving right after assembling the apple rose flowers on top. Alternatively, you can make the crust and the filling the day before and the apples the day of serving. Let me know if that helps! Thank you!
This looks wonderful and I would love to try it, but I do not like the maple taste on anything except pancakes. Is there any way I could make this a cinnamon custard? Or even an apple/-cinnamon?Especially since I want to use almonds for the crust instead of walnuts.
Hi Patricia . . since the recipe here is for a maple custard, I would look for a cinnamon custard or apple cinnamon custard (just search for one), or whatever custard you like or are looking for, and then make this with the rose apples on top. I hope you try it! This tart is perfect for the holidays!
Hi! I am going to make this tomorrow, it is goregous! I had a few questions though, should I microwave the slices while they are in the lemony water? Or should i microwave without the water? Second, if i make the custard the evening before, will it not be too stiff to handle or shoud I just wait till the morning? Thank you!
Hi Eline! Sorry, I just saw this!! no, take the apples out of the lemony water before you microwave and microwave without the water and I would suggest making the custard the morning of if you can. Please let me know how it goes!! 🙂
Last night I did a trial run on this recipe to test it for Thanksgiving. I’ve made custard in the past so I wasn’t afraid to try this one. My custard didn’t have any trouble gelling and it came out smooth. However, it tasted powdery. Like the cornstarch powder. It surprised me when I read how much to add since many recipes call for only about two teaspoons give or take. The end product was gorgeous but I was very disappointed in the taste. I guess I will have to research a different boiled custard recipe that I might incorporate the maple syrup into. Thanks for the great idea though!
After reading the comments it looks like many people are not familiar with making custard or the different types. Emma’s post and the follow up comment by Megan are perfect. Even though it has been updated once already I would suggest the author put some of this in a “tips” on her recipe. She is obviously very creative and didn’t realize how many people she would inspire to try something new!
Hi Brooke, thank you so much for this comment. . I will pass this along!! Happy Halloween!
No one needs a quarter cup of cornstarch for anything! Blech!
I was just wondering if it would still turn out nice if I did it in miniature tarts, or if one big one would be better?
Hi McKenna, it’s totally up to you. . I’ve seen the mini ones and they are just as lovely! and the apple roses might be easier to do on a mini tart! Here’s one that I just found: http://www.marthastewart.com/1101981/mini-apple-pie-roses
Thank you so much!
Hi! I was wondering if I can make this pie a day before I plan to serve it? Or is it best to serve it the same day?
Thanks!
-Elona
Hi Elona,
For best results, serve on the same day. You can prep the crust and custard separately a day ahead if desired. But I would save the apple roses and assembly for day of. Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
The custard came out amazing for my first time making one! Soo delicious. The walnut crust needed 20 minutes & still was a bit soft in the center when I pulled it out. The apples is where I was frustrated. I cut them on a mandolin very thin and submerged them in a water bath & microwaved….. For FIVE MINUTES!! We have a brand new microwave too. Ugh. I’d suggest large apples. I used 5 medium ones. After they came out of the microwave I submerged in ice water then patted dry before spiraling. My husband of all ppl suggested in his passing (and tasting) to dip each piece in thinned out apricot while spiraling, which actually helped hold them together. I’ll definitely be making this again! Thanks for the recipe
Thanks for sharing, Emily!!! Happy Thanksgiving!
I made this today–inspired by the gorgeous photos.i was in a pinch so used a store-bought gluten-free crust. That was probably a major mistake as the crust was gross and I wish I had made the recipe’s crust! In any event, my custard set up just fine but I wasn’t wow’ed by the taste of it. It wasnt bad at all, just not outstanding. The apple rose situation was a nightmare… And I had just used that same technique for a vegetable tart the day before and a different apple tart earlier in the week. I don’t know why it felt so hard this go around. Ultimately, it looked beautiful despite a number of broken roses. If I had hours to spare I may try to tweak further but all in all I don’t think the recipe is worth the effort. I love the creativity tho and it was a stunning final product!
Lovely recipe and idea. I used the Momofuku Crack Pie Oatmeal Cookie Crust instead and ended up having to whip my custard with a hand mixer because it was a little lumpy — but the end product turned out absolutely beautiful. (And delicious!) Thanks for the guidance — you can check out my results on http://cupofsugarpinchoflove.blogspot.com/2015/12/a-bouquet-of-apples.html (I credited the pie to this website.) 🙂
Voici l’article et les photos de ma réalisation http://www.quatresaisonsaujardin.com/tarte-fruits-rouges-cremeux-citron-fond-aux-noix/. J’ai utilisé ta recette pour faire le fond de la tarte mais j’ai ajouté un crémeux citron dans le fond et j’y ai déposé des fruits rouges de saisons. C’était très bon, encore merci.
Made this for Christmas 2015 with a few alterations. 1) subbed flax seed in the crust as it had to be egg free. It was delicious. 2)Made a different custard which was dairy and egg free. Maple syrup as sweetener. 3) Couldn’t get the hang of making rosettes so made just one big rosette of the whole pie. Lots of compliments and it looked beautiful. Plus it was gluten, dairy and egg free.
Sounds lovely!!! happy new year!
Hi, instead of walnuts can I use pistachios for the crust?
Sure, you can try! I’m not sure what the outcome will be though but I think it should be fine. it will obviously change the taste/flavor of the crust!
I have an allergy to walnuts what is a good suggestion to replace the walnuts.
Hi there! I am considering making this for a get together I have coming up, but there are a few guests who can’t handle eggs or dairy. Is there anything you might suggest to replace the milk and eggs in this recipe (if it’s possible to have it turn out close to the original)?
-Elizabeth
Hello Elizabeth! Unfortunately, this is not the recipe to replace the milk and the eggs . . you don’t want to mess with this custard. Maybe you could find a vegan custard and just make the walnut crust and the apple roses on top? I’m not sure how that would turn out but just suggesting that since you asked. Sorry!
Hi.. I want to make this for a staff meeting however we have staff with nut allergies. How would I adjust the crust recipe to exclude the walnuts?