Combine the yeast milk with the all-purpose flour, unsalted butter, white granulated sugar, salt and egg yolk. Knead everything together into a smooth dough.

Cover the bowl, stow in a warm place and let stand for 45 minutes.

Peel and core the three apples. Cut the apples into wedges, place them in a separate bowl and toss the wedges with the freshly squeezed lemon juice. Set aside.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Remove the dough from its warm place and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out and use a 4 -5" apple-shaped cookie cutter or alternately, a store-bought or handmade cardboard stencil to cut out 6 apple shapes.

Place the dough apple cutouts on the baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Roll the rest of the dough out into a long rectangle Use a sharp knife to cut long strips out of the dough. Working with one apple cutout at a time, Use the dough strips to form a frame around each. Press and smooth the dough frame to attach the bottom piece.

Form a thick stem with the remaining dough and a sharp knife to create a leaf for each cutout. Use a toothpick or a fork to create impressions in the leaf. Attach both a stem and a leaf to each dough apple on the baking sheet.

In a small bowl whisk together the egg, the two tablespoons of white granulated sugar, creme fraiche, cornstarch, and powdered nutmeg. Pour a thin layer of the mixture into the tart beds dividing it evenly between each of them.

Distribute the apple slices inside of each of the dough apples.

Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the tops of the dough apples. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the tops become golden brown.

Remove the apple tarts from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.