The Tuesday Treat: Flourless Apple Tart

Flourless Apple Tart

This was my vegan contribution to the Thanksgiving meal – usually I make a vegan apple-pear pie or something along those lines (using olive oil or vegetable oil for the butter in the crust), but this year, in keeping with my ‘naturally flourless’ obsession, I decided to go for a flourless crust as well. It was lovely, but needs a bit of work before it’s absolutely perfect; I suppose this is why it’s called ‘recipe testing,’ eh? But I wanted to share it anyway, because it would be a wonderful addition to any holiday table, or a thoughtful offering to bring to a gathering where there may be gluten or dairy-intolerant folk. And really, my only warning is that the crust is a little delicate and patience is needed when removing slices from the pan. Then again, it’s worth the effort. Use good, juicy apples here – they’ll make all the difference.

Makes 10 servings.

1 1/2 cups whole raw almonds
1/2 cup pecans or pecan meal ** or two cups almonds
1/8 cup sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil
ice water
5 peeled, cored, and sliced apples of your choice
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

In a food processor, grind the nuts and sugar until fine. Place in a large bowl and drizzle in the oil. Incorporate with a fork until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the ice water a teaspoon at a time, mixing in gently until a dough forms. Shape in a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and let rest in fridge at least 20 minutes.

Heat oven to 425 F.

Meanwhile, prepare the apples. In a large bowl, whisk the maple syrup with the spices. Add the apple slices and toss to coat.

Remove dough from fridge, and gently roll out. It will be very sticky, so don’t worry if it doesn’t roll well. Fit and press into a tart pan, trying to make an even layer of the dough. Fill with the apples and place on a cookie sheet.

Bake at 425 for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and cook another 30-40 minutes, until apples are tender and the filling is slightly bubbly.