The Home Economics Bit
Did you know?
Successful pastry is reliant on two things: cold ingredients and a hot oven. Before you begin to assemble your pastry, preheat your oven, and keep your butter and water in the fridge until the last minute. Follow the link below for more tips on how to make the perfect tart How to make the perfect apple tart and the common mistakes to avoid (irishexaminer.com)
Gluten Free Apple Tart
This is my gluten free take on a traditional Irish apple tart. Baked in the traditional way, using an ovenproof plate rather than a pie dish, this is as close as you'll come to a true Irish apple tart (only it's gluten free, sssssshhh!)
Ingredients
- 225 g gluten free self raising flour
- 1 tsp xanthan gum
- 125 g hard butter straight from the fridge
- 120 ml cold water
- 4 large cooking apples cored, peeled and sliced
- 1-2 tbsp caster sugar to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6.
- Sieve the flour and xanthan gum into a bowl.
- Cut the butter into cubes, and add to the bowl of flour. Using your finger tips, rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add the water gradually, little by little, stirring with a knife (it's colder than a spatula or wooden spoon) until you have achieved a soft dough.
- Turn onto a (gluten free) floured board and knead lightly.
- Wrap in cling film (or an environmentally friendly alternative) and chill for 30 minutes.
- Once rested, divide the pastry into two equal parts. Roll out half the pastry to the size of an oven proof plate.
- Arrange the sliced apples onto the pastry and sprinkle with sugar to sweeten.
- Roll out the remaining pastry to cover the apples.
- Dampen the edge of the base pastry with cold water to seal.
- Press the top pastry over apples to make the apple tart. Seal the edges by pressing with a fork.
- Put a cross/cut on top of the pastry (or poke a fork across the surface) to allow steam to escape.
- Egg wash, if desired, and then bake for 25-35 minutes approx., until golden brown.