Rose Apple Tart – mother’s day

My mom loves sweets, in particular she is really into fruit tarts and at the same time she really likes flowers. That’s why today’s recipe is perfect as edible gift for Mother’s day. She helped me shooting the video (she was playing with Alex while I was baking and videotaping…) and she had the first test bite to the apple tarts once they were cooled down. A big smile on her face and a “100% mom’s approved” stamp for me. I asked her why she liked the tarts and she replied “They are delicate, sweet but not too sweet. I really like the buttery cream at their bottom and the consistency of the pastry…and they are soooo beautiful. Can I have another one or do you need to take more pictures???” 😉

Here you are every detail on how I did it. First of all, ingredients:

Which apple? I used a mix of Pink Lady and Fujii apples because I love their intense and strong flavor. Also, I suggest to use red apples as their colored peel will pop up nicely once baked.

Let’s start with the dough and the help of a kitchen mixer: add flour, sugar, butter and salt and let it work for 1 minute. The butter should be very very soft, room temperature and cut in small pieces so that it will melt easily in the mix.

With the mixer still working (at low speed) add three tablespoon of ice cold water and let it work up until a crumbly dough will be formed.

It’s time to let the mixer rest and use your hands. Transfer the dough on a flat surface and finish working it with your hands up until it will compact together. The warmth of your hands will melt the butter and help the dough to come together.

Cover the dough with some plastic paper or parchment paper and let it rest in the fridge for 1 hour.

For this recipe, being for a special occasion, I decided to use 4 mini tart pans. You can use any tart pan size or shape. I divided the cold and firm dough in 4 parts and with the help of some parchment paper and a rolling pin I created 4 small circles 1/4 inch thick.

I gently placed my pastry dough in each mini pan, trimming the edges where needed. I didn’t use any spray or butter at the bottom of the pan as the pastry mix itself has enough butter not to stick to the pan.

In a cup I mixed 1/4 Cup of sugar with 2 Tbsp of melted butter and spread 1/2 teaspoons of the mix at the bottom of the tarts.

The tart base is ready. Let’s play with the apples now!
I found this new (for me) way to cut and core the apples that is perfect for this recipe. Take one apple, do not peel it (we need the red of the peel for our roses..) and cut a side of the apple very close to the core.

Turn the apple and cut it on the next side, always close to the core. Do it for the remaining two sides and you will obtain four apple cuts with a nice flat side that will be perfect to slice our apples with a mandolin or if you want with a sharp knife.

Slice the apple cuts in very very thin slices. I used a mandolin.

Place the apple slices in a bowl. In a small cup mix together the remaining sugar (1/4 Cup), the remaining butter (2 Tbsp melted) and the lemon juice. Pour the mix on the apple slices and mix everything.

Place the apple slices in the microwave for 1 minute so that they will soften and it will be very easy to create our roses.
Let’s start with the first rose. Take one slice of apple and start rolling it with your hands very very tight. It will be the core of the rose.

Take another apple slice and roll it around the rose core. Keep adding one slice at the time and you will see that your rose will start having nice petals 🙂

Suggestion. To give a more realistic effect, add the next apple slice in a different spot from where you started the previous one: the petals will not overlay.

Keep adding apple slices (ops, sorry, “petals”) up until you will reach the desired rose size. In order to give a more natural effect I decided to create small roses, big roses, just blooms. But you might want to realize roses of the same size..just play with your creativity.
Gently place the first rose in the center of the tart and gently press it so that it will stay.

Keep adding roses to cover the entire base of the tart.

Bake the tarts in the oven (already preheated) at 375 F. for 25/30 minutes. Let the tart cool down for 5 minutes and enjoy!!!