Happy Birthday Apple Tart

The owner of the company I work for is someone I have known for 16 years. He’s Italian and I was surprised to learn a few months ago his favorite treat is apple pie. An Italian who has chosen America as his home and apple pie as his dessert of choice. Love it.

Last week for his birthday, I dropped the Mad Hausfrau flavor insanity and made for the very first time a plain apple tart for our surprise office birthday celebration.

I have had Angela’s pie crust recipe from Spinach Tiger bookmarked to try for some time now. So glad I did. It was so perfect. I was intrigued by the instructions (freezing everything including food processor blade). Repeat, it was perfect. Even with only 1 teaspoon of added sugar, the result was simply delicious.

For the filling I went with a hybrid between Martha Stewart and Smitten Kitchen’s recipes and instructions and improvised from there. I used Macintosh and Granny Smith apples and for spices, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg and just a hint of added lemon flavor.

Because I wanted to make this apple dish a birthday treat, I went with a tart instead of a pie so I could decorate the top with cutout letters.

Of the eight people who shared this tart, at least three declared it the best apple pie/tart they have ever had. That may be a bit over the top, but it made me rethink about going back to baking basics more often instead of standing every thing I bake upside down flavor-wise.