Tahini Apple Tart
If you’re someone who loves a dessert packed with fruit and texture, this apple tart is made for you. The double dose of sesame is used in both the crust and filling, giving a nutty, earthy pop against the natural sweetness of the apples. They get tossed in ground cardamom for a wonderfully sweet, warm scent. Sesame is used twice: First, it becomes a spreadable paste with tahini, butter, sugar and egg, which becomes almost halva-like when combined with the cardamom-scented apples. Second, sesame seeds (and sugar) get sprinkled along the edges of the tart, making for a strikingly beautiful, textured crust.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 8 persons
Ingredients
- 1 ½cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
- 1tablespoon sugar
- 1 ¼teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- ¾cup/170 grams unsalted butter, cut into small cubes, chilled
- Ice water, as needed
- ⅓cup tahini
- 3tablespoons sugar
- 3tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1large egg
- ¼teaspoon kosher salt
- 2pounds crisp, tart apples such as Honeycrisp or Pink Lady (about 6 medium apples)
- 1tablespoon cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 3tablespoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling
- 1teaspoon ground cardamom
- Heavy cream, for brushing
- 1to 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
- Vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or crème fraîche, for serving
Instructions
Step 1
For the Dough: Whisk together the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Dump in the cold butter and toss until coated in the flour mixture, separating any pieces that stick together. Use your fingers to smush and flatten each piece once.Step 2
Drizzle 1/4 cup ice water over the flour mixture. Repeatedly run your fingers through the mixture, as if rummaging through a drawer, until combined. The dough will start out looking dry then become very shaggy. Transfer to a clean work surface and use your palms to knead the dough together, forming a ball with no dry spots. You may need an additional tablespoon or two of ice water to help the dough come together, but even then it will be shaggy, not smooth or shiny.Step 3
Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and use your hands to flatten it into a round disc about 1-inch thick. Chill for 2 hours or up to 3 days.Step 4
Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour and roll out the dough, turning it to prevent it from sticking between rolls, into a 14-inch round. Gently gather both ends of the dough and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate the dough while you make the sesame spread and apple filling.Step 5
For the sesame spread: Whisk the tahini, sugar, butter, egg and salt together in a medium bowl until smooth. (You can make the sesame spread 5 days ahead; just bring to room temperature before using, so it spreads easily.)Step 6
For the filling: Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Peel, core and thinly slice the apples (see Tip). Toss the apple slices, vinegar, sugar and the cardamom together in a large bowl until the sugar feels like it has dissolved.Step 7
Remove the dough from the fridge and plop the sesame spread in the center. Use the back of a spoon to evenly distribute the sesame spread, leaving a 2-inch border. Arrange the apples on top in whatever manner you like. Fold the edges of the dough over the apples to form the crust, then brush the dough with heavy cream and sprinkle with sesame seeds and more sugar.Step 8
Bake on the bottom rack for 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the crust is deeply golden brown and the apples are tender. Let cool for 20 minutes before slicing and serving with the topping of your choice.