Apple Brown Butter Tart

By Foodiewife

This tart is one of the best apple recipes I've made in a very long time. The pastry is tender and buttery and ...oh, so good! Patiently browning the butter, which is blended with eggs, flour and vanilla beans is worth the effort. Fresh sliced apples are lightly sauteed with a little butter and sugar, then brandy is added for some extra "pop". Last, sprinkle some golden raisins and then bake to a golden brown. Wow! Thar';s what I said with the first bite. This recipe comes from Food Network';s Anne Burrell, who is one of my favorite chefs

Ingredients

• Pastry Crust:
• 1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into pea-size pieces
• 1 cup flour
• Pinch kosher salt
• 1/4 cup ice water
• Filling:
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup flour
• 3 eggs
• 1 vanilla bean*, split and insides scraped
• Apples:
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 6 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/8ths
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• OPTIONAL: 1 Tbsp. Boiled Cider (purchased from King Arthur Flour)
• Flour, for dusting
• 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• Special Equipment: 9-inch tart pan
• NOTE: I used 1 Tablespoon of vanilla bean paste

Details

Preparation time 60mins
Cooking time 50mins
Adapted from afeastfortheeyes.net

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust: Combine the butter, flour, and salt in a food processor.

Pulse until the mixture looks like Parmesan cheese. Drizzle in half the cold water and pulse until the mixture forms a rough ball, adding the remaining water if needed.
Remove the dough from the food processor, form into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
NOTE: I made the crust a day ahead.

For the filling:
In a small saucepan, melt the butter and cook it until it starts to brown and begins to smell like hazelnuts (about 7-10 minutes.) Transfer the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a paddle. Add the sugar and beat together on medium speed.

Gradually add the flour.

Once the flour has combined, add the eggs one at a time. Beat in the vanilla bean seeds.

For the apples: In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the apples and sugar and cook until the apples start to soften, 6 to7 minutes. Pull the pan off the burner and add in the brandy. Return to the fire and flambe, if desired, or just let the alcohol burn off. Toss in the raisins.

To assemble: Remove the dough from the fridge 15 minutes before ready to use, this will allow the dough to soften and come to room temperature.

Dust a clean work surface with flour. Roll the dough out 1/8-inch thick and lay it in the tart pan with lots of overhang on the sides. Schmear half* the filling into the bottom of the tart pan and top with the apple mixture**. Fold the extra dough over the top of the apples.
*NOTE: I found used almost all of the filling into my 9" tart pan, and I had no problem with it.
**NOTE: I used a slotted spoon, when removing the apple filling, to avoid having any excess moisture. It worked perfectly.

Brush the dough with the egg wash. OPTIONAL: Add some sanding sugar, for a lovely crunchy texture.

Bake the tart in the oven until the top is golden brown and slightly crispy, 45 to 50 minutes.

Food Network Note: This filling is enough for 2 tarts. It's easier to make a larger quantity and it lasts in the fridge for a few days.
My comment: I disagree. I used almost all of the filling, and all of the apples!