Fresh Apple Tarts with Walnut Filling and Apricot Glaze Recipe
These Fresh Apple Tarts are a delightful treat featuring a buttery pastry crust filled with spiced Granny Smith apples and crunchy walnuts. Easy to prepare and bake, they’re perfect for dessert or a special snack.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins
- Yield: 16 tarts
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Pastry Dough:
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups white sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Apple Filling:
- 4 Granny Smith apples – peeled, cored, and chopped
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- 4 ounces apricot jam (optional; if using jam, use less sugar)
Instructions
- Make the Dough: In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in butter until the mixture is crumbly. Add beaten eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until the dough forms a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but no more than 1 day.
- Prepare the Filling: While the dough chills, in a medium bowl, toss the peeled, cored, and chopped apples with brown sugar and ground cinnamon. Mix in chopped walnuts evenly.
- Preheat and Prepare Tart Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease sixteen 3-inch tart pans to prevent sticking.
- Roll Out Dough: Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to soften slightly. Knead gently on a lightly floured surface, then cut into 16 equal portions. Roll each portion into a 6-inch circle.
- Assemble Tarts: Carefully fit one dough circle into each tart pan. Spoon an equal amount of apple filling into each tart shell. Fold the pastry edges over the filling as desired. Place all filled tarts on a baking sheet for stability.
- Bake: Bake the tarts in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Finish with Apricot Glaze (Optional): If using apricot jam, gently melt it and brush over the warm tarts to give a shiny, flavorful glaze.
Notes
- You can substitute white sugar for brown sugar if preferred.
- Chilling the dough is important to ease rolling and improve texture.
- Letting the dough rest at room temperature before rolling helps prevent cracking.
- Use tart pans with removable bottoms for easier removal, if available.
- Adding apricot jam glaze gives a lovely shine and subtle flavor but is optional.
