Gluten-Free Apple-Almond Tart

A hundred or more years ago when every farm-yard orchard in Maine had a “sweet” apple tree, the fruit was generally baked in milk and used as a remedy for stomach woes. True sweet apples, such as Tolman Sweet or Pound Sweet, weren’t used for pies since the flesh takes longer to soften than that of apples with more acidity. Modern recipes that call for a sweet apple expect you to use a Gala or Fuji or pretty much any super market apple that is not a Granny Smith. This apple-almond tart seemed like the perfect vehicle for an old-fashioned, true sweet apple since the fruit is caramelized before it goes into the crust so there is no need to worry that the apple will be under-cooked. The tart has very little sugar in it, but the caramelized sweet apples are so sweet that it tastes as if there are raisins in the tart. This recipe also works fine with modern sweet apples.

To make an easy, no-rolling-necessary, gluten-free crust out of almond meal, check out the recipe here. It works perfectly with the tart and takes less than five minutes to make. Pre-bake it for 25 minutes before adding the apples.

Ingredients:

  • 4-5 large apples, cored and cut in 1/2” dice

  • 1.5 Tbs lemon juice

  • 1.5 Tbs unsalted butter

  • 1/4 cup turbinado sugar

  • 2 tsp vanilla

  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg

  • 1/4 cup egg white (from 3 large eggs)

  • 2 Tbs white sugar

  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds

  • 1 9-inch gluten-free pastry shell, fully baked

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. Put the diced apple in a medium-sized bowl; toss with the lemon juice.

  3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  4. Heat a large skillet over high heat, and add the butter. When it has stopped foaming and has turned a light brown, add the apples, turbinado sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spread the apples in a single layer and cook without stirring for several minutes. You may have to do this step in two batches if you don’t have a large enough skillet for all the apples to be in one layer.

  5. Once the down side of the apples has begun to brown, turn the heat down to medium-high and saute until the apples have begun to caramelize, about 7-10 minutes. Pay attention, and keep stirring them because it takes only a moment for them to go from caramelized to burnt.

  6. Remove the skillet from the heat, and spread the apples on the parchment paper to cool.

  7. While the apples cool, make the almond topping. Beat the egg whites lightly in a bowl, just until they are frothy, not stiff. Whisk in the white sugar, and stir in the almonds.

  8. Spread the cooled apples in the pre-baked pastry shell. Spread the almond and egg mixture evenly over the top of the apples.

  9. Place the tart on a sheet pan, and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until the almonds begin to turn golden. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.