Vegan Apple Tart

There’s never a better time than Fall to bake an apple tart. It’s cool enough to get the oven going, and the perfectly wistful memory of summer in the rust-yellow leaves on the sidewalks just makes me crave a warm, gooey treat.More, the temperature is just right for the science of pie-making. While it is absolutely possible for a seasoned pie-maker to turn out a beautifully flaky-crusted pie or tart any time of the year, those who are newer at this might find they get better results in a fall or winter kitchen when it’s easier to keep all the ingredients cold.Apple Pie is one of Desi’s favorites and I usually bake the deep-dish version with a top and a bottom crust because the crust, of course, is his favorite part (and mine!) But I just as often make this skinner tart because it’s much lighter. It also makes for an elegant presentation, so if you’re going to have guests you want to impress this would be a perfect choice.

When I first began making this tart, I’d make it open-faced and the concentric, overlapping circles of apples arranged inside the tart looked so darn pretty. But I always had many scraps left over after fitting the dough into the tart pan and it seemed a shame to waste perfectly decent pie dough, so I began to use the leftovers to make a lattice top. It looks quite pretty and besides, there’s nothing that cannot be improved by a little more pie crust!The ingredient list for this pie is short and the procedure pretty straightforward. But remember to work fast with the dough and do not overwork it. Like I said, there’s some science that goes into making a perfect crust and it involves not letting the fat melt into the flour if you want those air pockets that make all those flaky layers, and not over-developing the gluten in your dough. So if you leave the dough sitting around on the kitchen platform while you go do the laundry, sorry, but your tart is going to a non-starter.Here’s the recipe. Have a great weekend, all!