Apple and almonds are a tasty conventional combination often enjoyed at traditional Christmas dinners.  This Apple and Almond Tart recipe makes a common-place apple pie extra special, sure to please all your guests at the end of your holiday meal.  This delicious dessert can be served hot or cold.

A word of advice:  do not be tempted to add sugar to the apples in this recipe (it will make them produce too much liquid).  All the sweetness in the tart comes from the pastry and the topping.

Apple and Almond Tart

Ingredients:

  • 6 TBSP. butter
  • 1 ½ cups white flour
  • 1/3 cup ground almonds
  • 3 TBSP. icing sugar, plus sifted icing sugar to decorate
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 TBSP. cold water
  • ¼ tsp. almond extract

Topping:

  • 1 cup flour
  • ¼ tsp. cinnamon
  • 4 TBSP. butter, cubed
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ½ cup slivered almonds

Filling:

  • 1 ½ lbs. apples
  • ¼ cup raisins

To make the pastry, all the flour and butter into a food processor bowl and process until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.  Stir in the ground almonds and 3 TBSP. icing sugar.  Whisk the egg yolk, almond extract and water together in a small bowl and then add them to the dry mixture.  Mix together to form a soft, pliable dough.  Knead the dough gently until smooth.  Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the topping:  Place the flour in a medium bowl and add the cinnamon.  Stir together well with a fork or whisk.  Add the cubed butter and blend in with a fork or pastry cutter.  Stir in the sugar and almonds.

Remove the dough from the fridge and roll the pastry dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Gently line the pastry into a 9” springform pan, pressing neatly into the edges.  Make a lip around the top edge, but remove any excess.  Place the pastry in the pan in the fridge for another 15 minutes.

Preheat the over to 375° F.

Peel and core the apples, and slice the apples thinly. Remove the pastry shell from the fridge.  Arrange the apples neatly on the pastry shell overlapping the slices slightly.  (The tart may appear too full at this time, but after the apples cook the filling will drop slightly.)  Spoon the topping mixture all over the top of the apples, pressing down slightly.

Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the top of the tart is golden brown and the apples are tender when tested.

Remove the tart from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.