Apple rose tarts, such a pretty way to make an apple tart. The apple slices are dyed to give them a beautiful pink hue, either with blackberry or mulled wine and cranberry.
The apples are placed on a layer of frangipane and baked, then they are brushed with a syrup to make them shiny.
Jump to RecipeThe soaked apples create such a vibrant colour and adds extra flavour.
I used shop bought pastry but feel free to use homemade.
Apple roses
The apples are thinly sliced using a mandolin slicer, then soaked in a hot liquid to dye them. Then the slices are arranged in a rosette on top of the frangipane and baked.
The colour becomes brighter the longer you let the apples sit in the liquid.
Putting the apples in the hot liquid also helps soften them so you can roll them. it only needs to simmer for 5 minutes.
The recipes
There are two flavours options, the original was blackberry with elderberry. Then I made a festive version with mulled wine and orange.
Feel free to try it with other berries if you wish, frozen or fresh work well.
If you prefer to make your own pastry rather than buy shop bought then i use,
- 160g unsalted butter
- 330g plain flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp sugar (optional)
Mix flour, salt and sugar if using, then cut butter into small chunks and rub in until it resembles fine crumbs, then add the eggs and bring together into a ball. cover and chill for at least 20 minutes.
Makes 4 to 5 depending on tin size
blackberry apple rose tarts
Equipment
- mandolin slicer
Ingredients
- shop bought short crust pastry
For the apples
- 1 & 1/3 cup blackberries fresh or frozen
- 1 & 1/2 cups water
- 3 apples eating apples like pink lady
- 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup sugar
Frangipane
- 3 tbsp butter (softened)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup ground almonds
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 tbsp all purpose plain flour
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- 1. Add berries, water and sugar in a pan and simmer until the fruit has broken down and the liquid is dark red. While that is simmering, peel apples and slice very thinly with a mandolin. Cut lemon in half, squeeze one half of the lemon into the berry juice then add the apple slices to the hot liquid. simmer for 3/5 minutes remove from heat.2. Place the halves of lemons on top to weigh the apples down, let cool, cover and place in the fridge overnight. The longer you leave them the deeper the colour.3. Line four mini tart tins with pastry and make leaves with the offcuts. line tarts with baking paper and add baking weights blind bake tarts for 15 minutes . 4. Brush leaves with egg wash and bake until golden.5. Make frangipane by creaming the butter and sugar together. Then add the egg and mix again and finally add the vanilla, ground almonds and flour with a pinch of salt then mix.6. Divide between tart shells so you have a thin layer of frangipane in each.7.Strain apples but keep the juice. Pat the apples dry and arrange in tart shells like a rose. Do this by rolling the apples up into rosettes. 8. Bake for 20 minutes at 160c fan or 180c 350f.9. Add ½ Cup of the reserved juice and ½ cup sugar in a pan and reduce until thick and syrupy .Once tarts are cooked brush the apples with syrup to make them shiny and bake for 5 more minutes. place on the pastry leaves.
Mulled wine apple rose tarts
Equipment
- mandolin slicer
Ingredients
- 1 packet of shortcrust pastry
For the apples
- 3 or 4 apples firm sweet apples like pink lady
- 1 and half cups mulled wine shop bought mulled wine (the one i used was quite sweet and low alcohol) from aldi
- 1/2 cup cranberries fresh or frozen
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- 1 orange sliced – used to weigh apples down (grate zest to use in frangipane first if using)
- 1/3 cup sugar
frangipane
- 3 tbsp butter softened
- 1/2 cup ground almonds
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- zest from one orange
To finish
- cranberry sauce
Instructions
- 1. Add mulled wine, cranberries, orange juice and sugar in a pan and simmer until the fruit has broken down. While that is simmering, peel apples and slice very thinly with a mandolin. 2. Add the apple slices to the hot liquid. simmer for 3/5 minutes, then remove from heat, place orange slices on top to weigh apples down. let cool, cover and place in the fridge for a hour or longer. The longer you leave them the deeper the colour.3.Line four mini tart tins with pastry and make leaves with the offcuts. line tarts with baking paper and add baking weights blind bake tarts for 15 minutes . Brush leaves with egg wash and bake until golden.4. Make frangipane by creaming the butter and sugar together. Then add the egg and mix again and finally add the vanilla, ground almonds and flour and cinnamon with a pinch of salt then mix. Add zest if using.5. Divide between tart shells so you have a thin layer of frangipane in each.6. Strain apples7. Pat the apples dry and arrange in tart shells like a rose then bake for 20 minutes at 160c fan or 180c 350f.8. Add 3 tbsp of cranberry sauce in a pan with a tbsp of water and melt until syrup like then brush the apples to make them shiny and bake for 5 more minutes. place on the pastry leaves.
Here is the baked mulled wine and cranberry version, the colour is less intense that the blackberry ones.
These tarts would work well with pears also, use a firm pear that is not overly ripe.
Looking for more?
Apple pie ice cream recipe here
Mulled wine curd meringue pie recipe here
