Photo by Judith Hausman
This applesauce tart was made out of necessity, after Hurricane Sandy.
Hurricane Sandy followed by a snowstorm meant lots of inclement weather in the lower Hudson Valley this week and lots of defrosted food to deal with. Our community, like many, banded together to help. Offers of beds and of tarps for battered roofs and also group dinners by candle and firelight kept morale high.
When power finally returned after 10 days, we all needed to use up food and comfort ourselves with warm, sustaining dishes, such as this applesauce tart.
Eggs and a bit of flour bound the homemade applesauce I had in the cupboard and a brown sugar, whole-wheat crust (that had been waiting in the freezer) cradled it. I like the cookie-like crunch of this hearty, spiced crust but a standard crust will serve for this tart, too. After all, it’s about using up what you already have.
If your applesauce is already tart, you might omit the lemon juice. If it’s unsweetened, you might add a bit more sugar to your taste. If it’s already quite sweet, reduce the sugar further. If you have vanilla ice cream or whipped cream to use up as well, either one pairs well with the tart.
Recipe: Applesauce Tart with Brown Sugar, Whole Wheat Crust
INGREDIENTS
The Crust:
- 5 tablespoons butter, softened but still cold
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup white flour
- 2/3 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 egg 1 tsp. baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- dash of salt
PREPARATION
Cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add about half of both flours, the egg, baking powder, vanilla, spices and salt. Blend well and then add in the remaining flour.
Shape into a ball and chill about an hour (or flatten into a disk and freeze for future use).
Roll out gently on a lightly floured surface and then shape into an 8- or 9-inch pie plate.
INGREDIENTS
The Filling:
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1 cup applesauce
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- cinnamon, to taste
PREPARATION
Pre-heat the oven to 400 Fahrenheit. Beat all ingredients together well.
Pour into the prepared piecrust. Sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon on top if you’d like. Bake 10 minutes at 400. Then, turn down to 350 degrees and bake for 30 to 35 minutes more or until firm.
