It is weird that I’m feeling a little post-holiday funky? Too soon? I mean, we are still very much mid-holiday season. I blame the weather- it’s pretty cruddy out there. And my upcoming Disney trip later this week means Monday-Wednesday will inevitably move like molasses. Work is so just acting like work. Thank God for pretty food, and leftovers of this rose apple walnut tart.
To help my mood, I’ve employed a little Julie Andrews, a little egg nog and a little Baileys and the memory of all the delicious and pretty food from this weekend past. If you think I’m crazy, you try sitting on your couch with a grimace on your face while “I have confidence!” is playing on the TV. I dare you!
My leftovers were all gone as of yesterday and as for the pretty food, well, that I’m sharing with you today.
This recipe for a Rose Apple Walnut Tart with Maple Custard comes, un-adapted, believe it or not, from Hip Foodie Mama and Baking a Moment and was expertly crafted by D. She definitely is not one who cooks, and thus was not comfortable or as prone to improvising a new recipe as mom or I would have, but she is one who crafts, and those skills came in handy for these beautiful apple roses.
The one technique adaptation comes from Mom, who taught us both how to make that amazingly thick and creamy custard using a blender and a microwave. No double boilers here. I’ll be using next time I’m feeling custardy.
Yes, custardy is a feeling. A good feeling.
One other idea we had was to blow torch the roses at the end, theorizing that the apricot glaze would caramelize ever so slightly, and happen quickly enough as to not melt the custard. Plus, crunchy apples! Alas, I left my torch in Chicago, so this theory remains a theory until next time. Still, pretty food was definitely tasting pretty good, just as it was.
While the look of this tart makes this recipe look intimidating…you can do it. Remember, D does not cook.
Have confidence in confidence alone!
Written during The Sound of Music. The hills are alive!
Rose Apple Walnut Tart
This rose apple walnut tart isn't about the rose flavor, but the beautiful rose design which tops a delicious maple cream.
Ingredients
- For the Walnut Crust:
- 2½ cups walnut pieces
- 4 TB unsalted butter, melted
- 2 TB granulated sugar
- 1 egg white
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- For the Custard:
- 1½ cups milk (I used 4%)
- 6 egg yolks
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- For the rest:
- 2 apples (I used Pink Ladies), quartered, cored, and thinly sliced with a mandolin (keep in lemon water until ready to use)
- juice of a lemon
- ¼ cup apricot jam, warmed
Directions
- Step 1 Make the Walnut Crust:
- Step 2 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Step 3 In a food processor or chopper, pulse the walnuts until the are finely chopped, and the pieces are about the size of breadcrumbs.
- Step 4 Place the chopped nuts in a large bowl and add the remaining ingredients, tossing together with a fork.
- Step 5 Press the mixture evenly over the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
- Step 6 Bake for 15-17 minutes until golden brown. Let cool completely.
- Step 7 Make the Custard:
- Step 8 Pour the milk into a microwave-safe glass measuring cup and microwave on high heat until small bubbles form around the edges, around 2-3 minutes.
- Step 9 Into the canister of a blender, add the egg yolks with the maple syrup, cornstarch, and salt. Hit blend.
- Step 10 While the eggs are blending into a froth, slowly pour the hot milk over the egg mixture. Continue blending about 30 seconds.
- Step 11 Place the mixture back into the microwaveable safe bowl and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until the mixture comes to a bubble and becomes very thick.
- Step 12 Stir in the vanilla and transfer to a heat safe container. Lay plastic wrap over the surface. Chill for 2 hours.
- Step 13 Assemble the Tart:
- Step 14 Spread the maple custard in the walnut tart shell.
- Step 15 Warm the apple slices in the microwave until pliable.
- Step 16 Roll a slice of apple into a tight spiral and stand it up vertically in the custard. Continue to arrange apple slices in a concentric pattern, around the first one, building a rose pattern.
- Step 17 Warm the apricot jam, and thin it with lemon juice. Brush this glaze over the apples, for shine and to prevent browning.
this is the prettiest! and looks delicious.
She did a great job! Thanks!
Love the look of those apple rosettes, so gorgeous. And they didn’t brown one bit with baking! – Kat
Actually the rosettes weren’t baked, but I was surprised that they didn’t’ brown in general. Yay for lemon juice!
Stunning! Too pretty to eat? I think not, especially if it was on my table.
Oh, we had no problems haha
this is adorable – way to go, Tomato!
Have fun at Disney; it’s practically Wednesday afternoon which means you’re leaving any minute now…
Well, I did just check in, so yes, I feel like I might as well stop working now.