Pink Apple Tarts

They really are pink.

These are pink pearl apples. They’re pretty tasty, and slightly tart, the way green apples are. And their flesh is pink. I got them from Three Springs Fruit Farm at the farmer’s market on Sunday.

They have a beautiful taste on their own, but I couldn’t help wanting to do something with them that would show off that lovely colour. So I made them into tarts. To be fair, they’re probably not the ideal baking apples, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t delicious either way.

Apple tarts (or tartlets) are my second-favourite pastry, and my first favourite when it comes to pastries with nutritional value. When I was in university, I would buy one at the train station on the way to my morning classes. Technically eating on the Tube is a little bit frowned upon, but at that time of the morning nobody is around to care.

Sadly, I haven’t mastered the art of puff pastry. I’m working on it. I’ve only had one major disaster so far. These are made with store-bought pastry, and honestly it’s so easy that way. My personal puff pastry journey isn’t worth forcing on these poor, beautiful apples.

The recipe is really simple: store bought puff pastry, cut into squares (you don’t even have to roll it out). Skin and slice the apples into crescents – not too thin, or they’ll catch, not too thick, or they won’t sit properly. Slather with melted butter, sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 375F, maybe 20 minutes? Check on them at fifteen, and you might end up going to thirty. You want to see the layers and a flaky golden crust. When they’re ready, take them out and brush them with an apricot glaze (apricot jam & water bubbled in a saucepan until smooth and covers the back of a spoon – might have to sieve it). That’s it. They’re ready to eat!

Hot buttery pastry and soft, sweet apple are the most delicious in combination. I would imagine you could also do designs with the apple slices, but I’ll leave that artistry up to you.

This is definitely a good example of a recipe that looks far more difficult than it is. Please, try it. Even if you can’t find pink pearl apples, just try this. It’s so simple, and it’s so delicious. It’s worth it, and you can do it.