Gosh, I joined Daring Bakers’ and dropped the ball. This month, I am finally accepting the baking challenge.
The 2010 November Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Simona of Briciole. She chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ to make pasta frolla for a crostata. She used her own experience as a source, as well as information from Pellegrino Artusi’s Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well.
My family is not a big fan of jellies or jams. So when I saw that the most common crostata consisted of a sweet tart crust, a layer of jam, followed by a lovely lattice topping, I knew I’d have to make some modifications. I brushed the crust with a thick layer of apricot jam, followed by an arrangement of sweetened apple slices and brushed with a glaze of jam heated with Calvados.
The crust was very forgiving…loved that I could easily patch it with a pat of my fingertips. I wish I could have added the crosshatched strips of dough, but the apples made an uneven surface. Even so, the result was a beautiful , delicious tart…and the scent of apples and cinnamon wafting through the kitchen was incredible. Thanks, Simona!!!!
Apple Crostata…adapted from Simona/Cook’s Illustrated
Pasta Frolla (Sweet Tart Crust)
1/2 cup minus 1 tablespoon superfine sugar (just whiz granulated sugar in your food processor)
1 3/4 cups flour
1 stick cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla paste
Put dry ingredients into food processor and pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse a few times till mixture resembles corn meal. Pulse in vanilla paste.
Empty bowl on to work surface. Lightly beat together egg and yolk. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour eggs into well. Use a fork to incorporated the wet ingredients into the dry, then use your fingertips. Lightly knead till dough comes together into a ball.
Shape the dough into a flat disk and refrigerate from 2 hours to overnight.
Apple Filling
2-3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into thin slices
Juice of one lemon
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Apricot jam
Calvados or other brandy
Preheat oven to 375º.
In bowl, gently mix apples with sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice. Roll out tart crust and gently place in 9 inch tart pan. Trim edges. Dock crust by poking the bottom of the crust with the tines of a fork.
Paint bottom of crust with a couple tablespoons of apricot jam. Arrange apples in concentric circles on top of jam. You may want to put a bottom layer of apples on first to bring filling up a bit higher. Heat a couple tablespoons of jam with a tablespoon or so of Calvados. Brush apples with glaze.
Bake 25-35 minutes or till apples are tender. Cool to serve.
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My family is not a big fan of jellies or jams. So when I saw that the most common crostata consisted of a sweet tart crust, a layer of jam, followed by a lovely lattice topping, I knew I’d have to make some modifications. I brushed the crust with a thick layer of apricot jam, followed by an arrangement of sweetened apple slices and brushed with a glaze of jam heated with Calvados.
The crust was very forgiving…loved that I could easily patch it with a pat of my fingertips. I wish I could have added the crosshatched strips of dough, but the apples made an uneven surface. Even so, the result was a beautiful , delicious tart…and the scent of apples and cinnamon wafting through the kitchen was incredible. Thanks, Simona!!!!
Apple Crostata…adapted from Simona/Cook’s Illustrated
Pasta Frolla (Sweet Tart Crust)
1/2 cup minus 1 tablespoon superfine sugar (just whiz granulated sugar in your food processor)
1 3/4 cups flour
1 stick cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla paste
Put dry ingredients into food processor and pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse a few times till mixture resembles corn meal. Pulse in vanilla paste.
Empty bowl on to work surface. Lightly beat together egg and yolk. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour eggs into well. Use a fork to incorporated the wet ingredients into the dry, then use your fingertips. Lightly knead till dough comes together into a ball.
Shape the dough into a flat disk and refrigerate from 2 hours to overnight.
Apple Filling
2-3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into thin slices
Juice of one lemon
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Apricot jam
Calvados or other brandy
Preheat oven to 375º.
In bowl, gently mix apples with sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice. Roll out tart crust and gently place in 9 inch tart pan. Trim edges. Dock crust by poking the bottom of the crust with the tines of a fork.
Paint bottom of crust with a couple tablespoons of apricot jam. Arrange apples in concentric circles on top of jam. You may want to put a bottom layer of apples on first to bring filling up a bit higher. Heat a couple tablespoons of jam with a tablespoon or so of Calvados. Brush apples with glaze.
Bake 25-35 minutes or till apples are tender. Cool to serve.
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
That is one pretty crostata! Looks like a good breakfast right now at 10 in the morning!
I’m thinking the same thing, Spicy!
What a beautiful crostata! I love how you layered the slices of apples, so pretty!
Thanks, Lindsey…I just spied your incredible chocolate bark!!! Mmmmmmm….
This is great! I’m thinking of using Amy’s tart cranberry sauce instead of the apricot jam…can’t wait to make it!
Beautiful dish! I love all of the fresh ingredients and presentation of this dessert. Looks great!
I just love your apple crostata it sounds and looks so delicious. Great job on this challenge.
Cheers from Audax in Sydney Australia.
Wow, your crostata looks great. I love how you arranged the apples on top so prettily. This would impress anyone.
Liz,
Alex would love this crostata! Another recipe to pop in my “Wanna Try” file
Hugs,
Sandra
Thanks, everyone!!! Looking forward to a new challenge in December
Lizzy-I got to give you, and Lora credit for joining now, The daring baker. I hesitate to join so easily, Took me several months to decide to join Foodbuzz too…but then I’m glad I did, or I would not have met you, and all the other wonderful foodie friends.
Your crostata is gorgeous, and the apples are so perfectly designed in a circular pattern.
Printed out the recipe, hoping to try this for the holidays.
Hugs,
Lizzie
Thanks, Lizzie…I know what you mean about new foodie friends! Lora’s crostata was gorgeous…I think seeing her version without jam got me going. It was a fun challenge…and hope you’ll join us soon! xoxo
I love the apple slices on top, the lattice strips are definitely unnecessary with such a gorgeous arrangement of apples! Sounds wonderful with apricot jam, too.
Thanks, Jeanne, for the lovely compliments!
Gorgeous, per usual.
Thank you, Carole!!!
yummmm!
Thanks, Mr & Mrs P!!!
I like forgiving crust recipes.
Congrats on your Daring Bakers Challenge – your apple crostata turned out beautiful, especially like how you arranged the apple slices.
Thank you, Cristina! I’m glad I finally met a challenge
On to December’s stollen!
Hi, Lizzy!
This looks wonderful! Your nuts turned out great, too.
I think the crostini really added flavor & texture to the Leek & Potato Soup, so I hope you like them – I’ll keep an eye out for your post!
Thanks, Susan! Glad you stopped by