This beautiful tart is not for the faint of heart… while it should not take you longer than 25-30 minutes prep time, I encourage you to organize your ingredients and portions ahead of time and read through the entire recipe before attempting. I promise this will save you time overall and that you will find the recipe is not as intimidating as it may look! It is a sure crowd-pleaser in both aesthetics and taste~

Yield: 8-10

Author: Chef Meg

Apple Frangipane Tart

An elegant holiday dessert with flaky pie crust, creamy spiced almond filling and beautiful gala apple roses. Simple and complex all in one bite!

prep time: 30 Mcook time: 55 Mtotal time: 85 M

ingredients:

Pastry Base

8 tablespoons of cold butter, finely chopped
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 pasture-raised brown egg
1 2/3 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon salt

Spiced Frangipane

3/4 cup coconut sugar
2 tablespoons cake flour
3/4 cup roasted marcona almonds
3/4 cup natural slivered almonds
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, chopped, softened
3 pasture-raised brown eggs

Gala Apple Roses

3 medium Gala apples (or other suitable red apple for baking with the skin on)
Filo Pastry
5 tablespoons butter, melted

instructions:

How to cook Apple Frangipane Tart

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a round tart tin or glass pie dish and line with parchment paper.
To make the base: process the flour, sugar and butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Then add the salt and egg and pulse until the mixture just comes together into a large clump (if needed, add another portion of eggwhite to to help bind).
Transfer the base mixture into your lined dish; press evenly across base and a quarter ways up the sides. Fork your dough and Bake for 15 minutes until it is a pale golden color. Cool on a rack.
To make the spiced frangipane: Process all dry ingredients until they are finely ground. Next add the butter and eggs and process until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and place in the fridge until ready to use.
Spread half of the frangipane over the base evenly. Quarter your apples, remove the cores and using a mandoline, slice the apples into 2mm-thick slices.
To form the apple roses: Layer two sheets of filo, brushing in between with melted butter. Cut the pastry lengthwise into thirds. Arrange apple slices, overlapping, along the top edge of each strip, with the rounded sides facing the top. Next use approximately 1 tablespoon of frangipane per strip and spread along the bottom edge. Fold each pastry strip from the bottom upwards over just the bottom edge edges your layered apples. Roll up the rose by starting from one edge and carefully bending the apples and pastry over itself. Turn upright and place in the tart on top of the frangipane base, beginning with the outer edge of roses. Continue with the same method to produce approximately 10-12 gala roses until the whole tart is filled to the center.
Bake the tart for 35 minutes at 350 F. Then turn your oven up to 375 F, cover the tart loosely with foil, and bake a further 25 minutes or until the center is puffed and golden.
Let the tart cool for minimum 20-30 minutes before slicing. Dust with powdered sugar, top with freshly whipped cream, and/or fresh cranberries and Enjoy!