Tarte de Maçã – Portuguese Apple Tart

Tarte de Maçã or translated to Portuguese Apple Tart is likely a dish you’ve not heard of from the custard capital known as Portugal. As a tourist even when you leave the capital Lisbon and venture to a different part of the country, you’ll still find custard tarts every where. We ate so many custard tarts during visit there some years ago that custard was hard to face for some months thereafter.

Yet Portugal is not defined by one custard dish and this super simple tart that has ingredients easily found in most supermarkets and with apple season upon us it is never a better time to make this. Most years in the lead up to fall, I dream of the abundance of apples and all the things one can make with the vast variety of apples that suddenly appear and feel . Something about apples and all the delicious ways to prepare them is even more exciting when you have a foreign food blog.

Honestly, like potatoes, a lot of cultures have their take and way to consume apples and today’s recipe is but one. It’s a humble recipe that doesn’t require any unusual ingredients, so I hope you have these in your kitchen or can pick them up easily and are inspired to try this, because it’s a bit addictive.

We love pastry in our house, so it may be for that reason that this Portuguese Apple Tart disappeared pretty swiftly. Bought pastry makes this even easier and you don’t need a huge bunch of apples to make this either, only six and it’s the kind of dessert most people outside Portugal have probably never tasted, so a good way to impress friends.

The ingredients for Tarte de Maçã lemon juice, water and store bought puff pastry and is likely a way you’ve never used apples before in such an unfussy tart that looks like a showstopper, but you’ll know when serving it that this wasn’t as difficult to make.

How to prepare Tarte de Maçã – Portuguese Apple Tart

• Prepare the syrup: Place 2 of the thinly sliced apples, half your lemon juice and sugar and all the water into a saucepan and cook until the syrup is formed and the apples soft.
• Thaw your pastry: Allow your pastry to that to almost room temperature and press into tart dish, removing the excess.
• Base of the tart: Pour half the syrup over the base alongside the two soft apples and spread out.
• Spread the apples out: Lay your thinly sliced apples in the tart nice and evenly.
• Syrup drip: Pour the last of the syrup over the apples.
• Last additions: Sprinkle the last of the sugar and brush the egg yolk over the entire tart.
• Bake: Place in the oven and bake until golden.
• Serve: Remove and allow to cool to either warm or room temperature. Serve with a scoop of ice cream or pouring cream. Enjoy!

Tips for the best Tarte de Maçã – Portuguese Apple Tart

Type of puff pastry: You can easily use store bought puff pastry to make this tart, however, if you would like to homemake it, this recipe looks to be a great one.

Preparing your apples: It’s easiest to slice the apples thinly all at the same time, if you’re looking to make the process quicker.

Keeping the tart: This is best served the day it’s made, though can be easily kept covered in a container for a further 2 days.

More apple recipes you’ll enjoy

Amish Apple Fritters

Versunkener Apfelkuchen – Sunken Apple Cake

Fennel and Apple Crumble

Portuguese Apple Tart – Tarte de Maçã
Recipe from Easy Portuguese Recipes
Serve 6

Ingredients:
6 medium apples, peeled, quartered and cored
4 teaspoons lemon juice
150 grams / 2/3 cup superfine/caster sugar
4 tablespoons water
375 grams / 11.3 ounces puff pastry, pre rolled
1 egg yolk, lightly whisked

Directions:
Greaseproof your pie dish and preheat the oven to 180C/350F.

Slice 2 of the 6 apples thinly and place in a medium saucepan with half the lemon juice, half the sugar and all the water on high heat.

Cook, stirrring, until the sugar has dissolved, the apples are soft and a syrup has been formed.

Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Remove your puff pastry from the freezer to thaw slightly.

Meanwhile, slice the remaining apples into thin slices and place in a bowl with the remaining lemon juice. Set aside.

Press your slightly thawed puff pastry sheet into your prepared pie dish, trimming the excess edges.

Spoon the two cooked apples in your syrup and half the syrup over the base.

Take the thinly sliced apples and layer on top until all slices have been spread out.

Pour the remaining syrup over the top.

Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the top evenly and brush over the egg yolk.

Place in the oven to bake for approximately 35 minutes until the crust and apples are golden.

Remove and allow to cool until warm.

Slice and serve as is or with a little ice cream if you’re feeling a little fancy.

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