Custard and Apple Tart

The custard and apple tart is a classic dessert that pairs the sweetness of fruit with the softness of custard cream. Here’s how to prepare it in the Italian style.

Ingredients

For the shortcrust pastry:

• 300g of type 00 flour
• 150g of cold butter
• 120g of sugar
• 1 whole egg and 1 yolk
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• A pinch of salt

For the custard cream:

• 500ml of whole milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 120g of sugar
• 40g of type 00 flour or cornstarch
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 vanilla bean (or vanilla essence)

For the apples:

• 3-4 golden or annurca apples
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Brown sugar as needed
• Ground cinnamon (optional)

Preparation

Start with the shortcrust pastry:

1. On a pastry board, pour the flour and make a well in the center where you will add the butter cut into cubes, sugar, whole egg, egg yolk, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt.
2. Quickly work all the ingredients to obtain a homogeneous dough ball.
3. Wrap the shortcrust pastry in cling film and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Let’s move on to the custard cream:

1. In a saucepan, heat the milk with the vanilla and lemon zest until it almost boils.
2. In a bowl, beat the yolks with the sugar until the mixture is light and frothy.
3. Gradually add the sifted flour, stirring to avoid lumps.
4. Remove the vanilla and lemon zest from the milk, then pour the yolk mixture into the hot milk, continuing to stir.
5. Put the saucepan back on medium-low heat and cook until the cream thickens, stirring constantly.
6. Once ready, transfer the cream into a bowl and cover it with cling film in contact. Let it cool.

Now it’s time to prepare the apples:

1. Peel the apples, remove the cores, and cut them into thin slices.
2. Place them in a bowl with the lemon juice and mix gently to prevent them from turning brown.

Assemble the tart:

1. Roll out the shortcrust pastry into an even layer and line a previously greased and floured tart pan, leaving an edge.
2. Prick the bottom with the tines of a fork and pour in the now cool custard cream.
3. Arrange the apple slices over the cream in a harmonious way and sprinkle with a bit of brown sugar and cinnamon.
4. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 40 minutes or until the shortcrust pastry is golden.

Once baked, let the tart cool before removing it from the pan. Serve at room temperature or slightly warm.

Curiosity

The apple tart is a classic of Italian home pastry, and every family has its own variant. Some recipes include the addition of pine nuts or chopped hazelnuts with the apples for a crunchy touch. Moreover, in regional tradition, sometimes the surface is sprinkled with apricot jelly to give shine and a slight additional aroma.