apple crumble tart

After making batch after batch of berry crumble tarts & bars all summer, I was excited to try out my favorite recipe substituting apples for berries.  The result is not as pretty (dark purple berries bubbling up between a layer of crumble... that's pretty), but it's uncomplicated and delicious.

INGREDIENTS
-- 1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour (you could
    probably substitute a portion of whole wheat
    flour or rolled oats if you want to pretend you
    are making something healthy).

-- 1/2 cup turbinado or brown sugar
    (plus an additional 3 TBS set aside)

-- 1/2 tsp baking powder

-- Pinch of salt

--  1 egg

-- 1 tsp vanilla extract

-- 1/2 cup unsalted butter

-- 2 tsp cornstarch

-- 3 medium-ish apples, peeled and sliced
    1/4 in thick

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 F.  Butter and dust with flour a 9 in tart pan (with removable bottom) or an 8 in square baking pan.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, 1/2 cup turbinado sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into cubes and then use a fork to cut the butter into the sugar/flour mixture until you have coarse crumbs.  Add the egg and vanilla and mix a few times until you have some larger clumps.  Press approx. half this mixture into the bottom of your prepared baking pan.

In a medium mixing bowl, sprinkle 2 tsp corn starch and 2 TBL turbinado sugar over the peeled, sliced apples.  Mix gently until the apples are coated and then lay the slices in the pan over the bottom crust.  Squeeze the remaining crust dough a few times to make some clumps and then evenly distribute the remaining dough over the apples.  Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 TBL sugar.

Bake in preheated oven 35-40 minutes until top is lightly brown.  Allow to cool before cutting, and serve with ice cream (or with a cup of tea for breakfast).

Note: I've been cooking for guests who are vegan, and this recipe adapts nicely.  Just substitute 8 TBL Earth Balance for the butter and 1/4 cup cold water for the egg.

Recipe adapted from The Comfort of Cooking.