Mama’s (World) Famous Apple Tart

12:00 pm on 30 July 2007

Ingredients

For the Pastry

  • 350g flour
  • 175g sugar
  • 250g butter

For the filling

  • 6 medium size granny smith apples
  • 1 lemon
  • 75g slivered almonds
  • 75g raisins
  • ½ cup brandy or rum
  • 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup berry jam

Method

You will need to grease a 25cm baking tin (preferably releasable) and set the over to 170°C

To make the pastry

Cut the butter into small chunks and rub it into the flour with your finger tips. Stop when the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and push the mixture together to form a ball of soft dough. Flatten the pastry and wrap place in the fridge to rest.

To make the filling

Soak the raisins in brandy (for as long as possible).

Toast almonds until golden.

Peel and core the apples and slice reasonably thinly.

Squeeze lemon remove pips and pour juice over apples to stop discolouration.

Add in the cinnamon and sugar and mix all the ingredients together.

To make the tart

Divide the pastry into two balls one twice the size as the other.

Roll out the larger ball and place into tin, pushing tightly into sides.

Pour in the apple mixture.

With remaining pastry roll out into long cylindrical strips and place over the top of the apple mixture in a criss cross pattern.

Add some water or brandy into a bowl. Add the jam, and mix together to a wetter consistency. Paint pastry with jam mix.

Place in warm oven and cook for about an hour, or until the pastry is golden and fruit beginning to caramelise beneath.

Serve preferably warm with ice cream or cream or yogurt. Enjoy!