Salted Caramel Apple Tart (Printable Version)

Buttery crust filled with spiced apples and salted caramel; a subtly sweet and balanced dessert.

# What You'll Need:

→ Tart Crust

01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and diced
03 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
04 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water

→ Spiced Apple Filling

07 - 5 medium apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
08 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1/4 cup light brown sugar
10 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
12 - 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
14 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Salted Caramel Sauce

15 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
16 - 3 tablespoons water
17 - 1/4 cup heavy cream
18 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
19 - 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus additional for garnish

# How to Prepare:

01 - In a food processor, pulse flour, powdered sugar, and fine sea salt until combined. Add cold diced butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and 2 tablespoons ice water, then pulse just until dough forms, adding additional water as needed. Shape dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
02 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out chilled dough on a lightly floured surface and fit into a 9-inch tart pan, trimming excess. Prick base with a fork. Line with parchment paper and fill with baking weights. Blind bake for 15 minutes, then remove weights and parchment. Continue baking for 8 additional minutes until lightly golden. Allow crust to cool completely.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, toss sliced apples with granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and lemon juice. In a skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add apple mixture and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until just tender but still firm. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
04 - In a medium saucepan, combine 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons water. Cook over medium heat without stirring until deep amber in color, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully whisk in heavy cream, as the mixture will bubble vigorously. Add 3 tablespoons butter and 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt, whisking until smooth. Allow caramel to cool slightly.
05 - Arrange cooled spiced apples in the cooled tart crust in an even layer. Drizzle approximately half of the salted caramel sauce over the apples.
06 - Bake assembled tart at 350°F for 20 minutes until apples are bubbling and crust is golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
07 - Drizzle remaining caramel sauce over cooled tart and sprinkle with additional flaky sea salt. Serve at room temperature or warmed, optionally accompanied by vanilla ice cream.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The homemade caramel tastes nothing like the bottled stuff, with a deep complexity that makes people ask for the recipe before they've finished eating.
  • It actually comes together faster than most people expect, and the tart keeps beautifully for a day or two if you need breathing room.
  • That flaky sea salt on top creates this magical moment when sweet and salty crash together on your tongue in the best possible way.
02 -
  • The moment your caramel hits that amber stage, it's done, and taking it one second too far turns it acrid and bitter in a way that no amount of cream can fix.
  • Don't skip the blind baking step because an unbaked crust with wet apples on top will remain pale and dense at the bottom, which honestly ruined my first attempt.
03 -
  • Keep your butter and all your ingredients cold when making the crust because warm butter creates a tough, dense pastry instead of a flaky one.
  • If you're nervous about making caramel, keep a small bowl of cold water nearby so you can dip the bottom of the pan in it if the color gets too dark, which instantly stops the cooking process.
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