A Crostata is the Italian term for a simple rustic tart. To make this apple crostata, we toss some apple slices with lemon, cornstarch, and spices, roll out a round of dough, and arrange the apple slices in the center of the dough. Since this recipe contains apples, lemon juice, and lemon zest, which are known to be sour and acidic, it is perfect to be paired with richberry.
INGREDIENTS
Crust:
· 1 1/4 cup (160g) flour
· 1/2 teaspoon salt (skip salt if using salted butter)
· 8 Tbsp. (1 stick, 113g) chilled butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
· 1 teaspoon sugar
Filling:
· 1 3/4 pounds (800g) good cooking apples, about 3-4 apples
· 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
· 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
· 2 tablespoons cornstarch
· 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
· 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
· Small pinch of salt
· 1/2 cup sugar
To Finish:
· 1 egg white
· 1 teaspoon cream
· 1 teaspoon butter
· 1 teaspoon sugar
Whipped cream:
· 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream, very cold
· 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
· 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Yield: Serves 6
METHOD
Make the dough: To make the dough, place flour and salt into a food processor and pulse a couple of times. Add half of the butter and pulse 8 1-second pulses. Add the rest of the butter and pulse several more times, until the largest piece of butter is no larger than a pea. Add 2 tbsp. of very cold water to the dough. Pulse a couple of times. Continue to add icy water, a teaspoon at a time (no more than 3 teaspoons) until the dough just holds together when you pinch some with your fingers. Empty the food processor bowl onto a clean surface. Gather up the dough into your hands and form a ball. Flatten into a disk and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Chill for at least 1 hour.
Peel, slice apples, and then toss with lemon: As the dough is chilling, peel, core, and slice the apples into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch slices. Place in a large bowl and sprinkle with the lemon juice and lemon zest. Toss the apple slices around in the bowl so that they are all a little coated with the lemon juice.
Whisk cornstarch, spices, then toss with apples: In a bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt. Sprinkle over the apple slices and gently mix so that the apple slices are all well coated with the mixture.
Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C).
Roll out dough: Remove dough from refrigerator and let sit 5 to 10 minutes before rolling out. Place on a lightly floured clean surface and roll out to a 14 inch (35 cm) round. (The dough round will be on the thin side.) Pro-tips: don't let the dough stick to the table. If it starts to stick, sprinkle the surface with more flour. If the dough gets too soft to work with, chill in the refrigerator for a few minutes.
Mound apples on dough round: Gently transfer to a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet. Mound the apples in the center of the dough round, allowing for a 2 1/2 to 3 inch margin around the edges. Gently lift up and drape the edges over the apples.
Brush with egg wash, dot with butter: Whisk together the egg white and cream. Use a pastry brush to brush over the exposed areas of the crust. Dot the exposed apples with butter.
Bake: Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 45 minutes to an hour, checking after 30 minutes or so. If the apples start to brown too much, tent them with foil.
Cool: Remove from oven and let cool on a rack for 30 minutes to an hour before serving.
Make whipped cream: To whip the cream, place the cream and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl (sometimes I like to freeze the empty bowl so it stays colder when whipping the cream). Use a hand mixer to whip until you have soft peaks. Chill until ready to serve. Serve the apple crostata with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Consume Miracle Berry: Just before digging in, chew 1 or more freeze-dried miracle berry (this can also be done during preparation of ingredients). Ensure to remove pits to avoid bitter taste.
Fact: The active ingredient miraculin from miracle berry will turn sour foods such as lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, non-fat yoghurt and other citrus food to taste sweet without adding sugar. We recommend two halves or 2 servings for maximum effectiveness. Make sure to follow instructions from the back of the packaging.
Note: Sometimes you may need to add at least 5-7% of the total quantity of sugar required, this is due to the chemistry of the food, however you may skip this as you wish. The goal is to totally reduce sugar and yet experience the same taste.
CALORIE SAVINGS:
1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon powdered sugar 490 Calories
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