Why I became such a passionate baker, you might ask. Well, because of my mum. She is the one who taught me to appreciate homemade cakes. Because that’s all, we had when growing up. I cannot remember that we ever had store-bought cake at home.
My mum would bake for special occasions (no birthday without at least four different cakes to feed the guests) and on a weekly basis. It was a ritual to have homemade cake on Friday afternoon when my dad got home from work early. We would sit down and enjoy one of mum’s creations.
One of the most popular treats was my mum’s apple custard tart. Until today this is my favorite cake! The crumbly crust paired with tart apples and a sweet and creamy custard filling. My mum would also add a generous amount of raisins, but that’s entirely optional.
I loved our Friday ritual. In the beginning, I would just help my mum weighing ingredients or kneading the dough. But as I got older, I started to look up different recipes and try out new baking techniques until at some point I took over our Friday baking tradition entirely. That’s when my passion for baking really began.
Since then I baked and ate a ton of different cakes, but my mum’s apple custard tart is still my favorite. Every time I visit my parents, I ask my mum to make it. Although I do bake it myself pretty often it never quite tastes like my mum’s.
This apple custard tart is not vegan nor gluten-free, nor is it free from refined sugar. And it’s not supposed to be. Because this cake is pure comfort and indulgence! It’s about enjoying life and good company. And if you ask me, that’s very healthy! While I do encourage you to follow a healthy plant-based diet, I truly believe that we should not deprive ourselves of all the other delicious treats out there. As long as we are enjoying them consciously and appreciate them for what they are, there is no harm in taking a little break every once in a while.
So get your rolling pin out and start baking this delicious apple custard tart. The recipe might sound a little bit time-consuming, but don’t be put off by the various steps. It’s worth it. Trust me!
I hope you like this recipe as much as my family and I do.
If you love apples, check out this apple pie or this apple cake with mascarpone icing as well.
Love,
Marion
Apple Custard Tart
Ingredients
- For the crust:
- 180g whole-grain spelt flour
- 100g cold unsalted butter
- 1 organic free-range egg yolk
- 30g sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons ice water
- For the filling:
- 1kg apples
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 100g sugar
- 3 organic free-range eggs
- 125ml cream (or full-fat milk)
- Seeds of 1 vanilla pod or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Raisins (optional)
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C / 390°F and grease a 26cm /10-inch cake tin.
- Step 2 In a large bowl, mix flour, butter, egg yolk, sugar, salt, and water. Using your hands, or the paddle attachment of your free-standing mixer, knead the dough until everything comes together. Don’t overwork it. Wrap the dough in plastic foil and place it in the fridge for at least 2 hours (or overnight).
- Step 3 In the meantime, peel and coarse the apples and cut them into quarters. Using a sharp knife, make slices lengthwise through the apples, making sure to cut down only a tiny bit, not all the way through the apple. Sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent them from browning.
- Step 4 Remove the dough from the fridge. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a circle about 6-8 cm / 3 inches larger than the diameter of the pan. Transfer to the prepared cake tin and press the tart dough evenly into the bottom and up the sides – about 3-4cm/1.5 inches.
- Step 5 Prick the bottom of the pastry generously with a fork to prevent it from shrinking. Arrange the apple slices on top. Starting from the outside, use the apple slices to push the edges against the tin, so they don’t collapse when baking. Continue with the remaining apples until the entire pastry is covered with apples.
- Step 6 Bake the cake in the lower third of the oven for 25 minutes.
- Step 7 In the meantime, whisk together sugar and eggs. Add the cream/milk and vanilla and whisk until well combined. Add the raisins (if using).
- Step 8 Carefully pour the filling into the pastry case and bake for another 20-30 minutes. The cake is done when the top is lightly brown, and the custard is just set.
- Step 9 Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Remove the tart from the tin and let cool completely.
