Rustic Apple Tart

Number one, witness the cuteness of Mommy-daughter cooking (Hiiiiii Mom). My Mom and I first made this recipe - sans measurement. It was super delicious and I had to make it again (with measurements)!

Makes approx. 16 personal sized tarts. feel free to half the recipe on the crust. 

INGREDIENTS:

Crust:

2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

3/4 c. chilled Crisco

4 - 8 ice water

Milk for brushing

Filling:

4 - 5 granny smith apples

2 nectarines or peaches or pears

1 tbsp cornstarch

2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 c. sugar

1 1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pumpkin spice

1/4 tsp lemon zest

1 tbsp lemon juice

pinch of nutmeg

Topping:

2 tbsp sugar in the raw (optional)

4 tbsp butter, cut into 1/4 tbsp cubes (or 16 equal pieces)

DIRECTIONS:

Crust:

Blend/cut salt, flour, and cold Crisco into a course crumble. Sprinkle with half the recommended maximum amount of ice water.  Add more if needed. Tips perfect pie crust found HERE

Form into two equal sized disks and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 

Filling:

While the crust is chilling, wash fruit and cut up into uniform bite sized chunks (approx. 1/4 inch thick). Toss fruit into a large bowl and toss with lemon juice and set aside. 

In a medium sized bowl mix the sugar, cornstarch, zest and remaining spices - mix well. Next, this is important- because my Momma told me so... taste the mixture with a spoon or maybe a piece of cut up apple (yum). From doing this you can determine what spices you may need to add more of, if any. Do not add it to the fruit until you're ready to fill your tarts.

When the crusts are chilled cut each disk into 6-8 pieces and roll into balls.  Flatten the balls one at a time and roll out into tiny round crusts.  Place the flattened crusts on to parchment paper.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix together the "perfected" spice and sugar mixture with the cut up fruit and begin filling the tiny pie crusts. Fill the crusts in the middle and stack it high (approx 1/2 c.). Next, gently fold the pie crust up over the fruit. You only need to create a lip over the fruit so it won't loose all the juices during cooking, be careful not to tear the fragile crust. 

After all the tarts are made brush them with milk, drop a 1/4 tbsp cube of butter on top of the fruit and sprinkle with sugar in the raw.

Bake for 50 - 40 minutes until the crust is golden and the fruit is tender. 

Notes: You can use whatever fruit you have on hand with the apples. I have made it with all the fruits I listed above. 

Crust Recipe: Crisco Classic Pie Crust

Filling Recipe: The Gregarious Glutton