Description
In this easy gluten-free apple tart, sliced apples are layered on a buttery and flaky shortbread crust. Top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the perfect fall dessert or sweet snack! Dairy-free too.
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour + more for dusting
- 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your gluten-free flour blend already includes it)
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup dairy-free butter, chilled and cut into cubes
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup ice water, amount necessary
- 2 red apples, peeled, cored and sliced thinly
- 2 green apples, peeled, cored and sliced thinly
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 tablespoon gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon apricot preserves, for brushing
- Dairy-free vanilla ice cream (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Grease: Preheat oven to 350F and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Grease a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom with non-stick cooking spray.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the gluten-free all-purpose flour, xanthan gum (if using) and light-brown sugar until fully combined.
- Cut Butter into Flour: Add the chilled cubed dairy-free butter and cut the chilled butter into the flour (either with a pastry cutter, two knives, or use the back of a fork to press the butter into the flour). You’ll get an off-white crumbly mixture with the texture of coarse sand.
- Add Egg: Add the beaten egg and mix well. The mixture will still be crumbly, but will be slightly pale yellow now.
- Prepare the Dough: Add 1 tablespoon of ice cold water at a time, mixing with a spoon until you get a dough that holds together (better to have a dough that’s a little too moist than too dry). You may or may not need to use all the water, this will depend on the humidity where you live and the gluten-free flour blend.
- Roll out Dough: Shape dough into a disc and then use a rolling pin to roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper until the dough is slightly larger than your tart pan.
- Press Dough into Tart Pan: Remove the top piece of parchment paper and then place your hand below the bottom piece of parchment to flip the dough onto your tart tin, then slowly peel off the remaining parchment paper as you press the dough into the tin. Note that the dough may break, but don’t worry as you can easily press the dough back into place (it will still look beautiful once baked).
- Par-Bake Tart Crust: Using a fork, poke holes into the tart crust (this will prevent the crust from ballooning as it bakes). Blind bake the pie crust (baking without any filling) for 10 minutes then remove from the oven.
- Prepare Apple Filling: While the tart crust is being par-baked, peel, core and slice the apples into thin slices.
- Mix Flour and Sugar: Combine the 2 tablespoons of sugar with 1 tablespoon gluten-free all-purpose flour and mix well. Distribute this mixture evenly over the par-baked tart crust.
- Distribute Apple Slices in Par-Baked Crust: Arrange the apple slices on top in overlapping concentric circles until the entire surface of the tart crust is covered. Bake for 1 hour until the apple slices are tender and golden and the tart crust is deep golden and cooked through.
- Brush with Apricot Preserves: Brush the tops of the cooked apple slices with apricot preserves.
- Let Cool Before Slicing: Let the gluten-free apple tart cool for at least 1 hour at room temperature (very important to let it cool fully!!) before slicing and serving with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Notes
Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: I highly recommend using a good-quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that is made up of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch or potato starch). I do NOT recommend using a gluten-free flour blend made up of heavier flours (such as garbanzo bean flour).
Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum is the replacement for gluten in gluten-free flours, and will help to better bind the ingredients together. If your gluten-free flour blend does not already include xanthan gum, make sure to add it in.
Sugar: I use dark brown sugar for the crust, and white sugar for the apple filling but you can also use light brown sugar, cane sugar, white sugar, or coconut sugar if your prefer. If you are diabetic or insulin-resistant, make sure to use granulated monkfruit sweetener (a 1:1 sugar substitute that is zero glycemic index and will not raise your blood sugar).
Butter: I used dairy-free butter (vegan butter) to keep this recipe dairy-free. You may also use chilled coconut oil instead. Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, feel free to use regular butter instead.
Egg: The egg helps to better bind the tart crust together, so make sure you add it in. I haven’t made this without eggs before, but if you are allergic to eggs or simply want to make this tart vegan or egg-free, you may try using acquafaba or an egg-replacer. (If you do make this egg-free, please let me know how it goes in the comments below, I’d love to know!).
Ice Water: Using ice water for the crust dough helps to maintain a cool temperature makes the dough easier to handle and work with. You may not need to use all the ice water – the amount you’ll need depends on the temperature and humidity where you live. Start off with 1 tablespoon of ice water and then add more as needed until you get a soft pliable dough (better to have a dough that’s a little more moist than one that’s too dry).
Apples: I used a mix of both green and red apples for a mix of both sweet and tart flavor, but you can simply go with whichever apples you have on hand (if it’s apple season, go with the ones you have most of!). I like to remove the skins from the apples but you can leave them on if you prefer.
Apricot Preserves: We’ll be brushing the top of the apples with apricot preserves or apricot jam once the apple tart is fully baked to add a little more sweetness as well as gloss. Alternatively you can use orange marmalade too if that’s what you have.
Vanilla Ice Cream: I like adding a scoop of dairy-free vanilla ice cream to go with this gluten-free apple tart for a lovely finish (especially on a special occasion!).
Storing: To store, cover this easy apple tart with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can either eat the tart cold, or warm up the tart in the oven for a few minutes if you prefer.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 mins
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Western
