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Mini Apple & Browned Butter Tarts

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Mini Apple & Browned Butter Tarts are individual tarts with a buttery, flaky crust, sweet spiced apples, and a rich, nutty browned butter filling, perfect for any occasion.

Ingredients

  1. 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
    34 tablespoons ice water
    1/2 cup unsalted butter (for filling)
    2 medium apples (such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
    1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
    Pinch of salt
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

For the crust: In a food processor, pulse the flour and salt together. Add the chilled butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Slowly add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, pulsing until the dough comes together. Turn the dough onto a floured surface, shape it into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

  1. For the filling: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking the butter, swirling the pan occasionally, until it turns golden brown and smells nutty (about 5-7 minutes). Add the sliced apples and cook for 3-5 minutes, until the apples soften slightly. Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, flour, salt, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Cook for another 3-5 minutes, until the apples are tender and coated with the syrup. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
  2. Assembling the tarts: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out circles large enough to fit into a muffin tin (about 3 inches in diameter). Gently press the dough circles into the muffin tin, making sure the sides and bottoms are covered. Prick the bottoms with a fork a few times to prevent the crust from puffing up. Spoon the cooled apple mixture into each tart shell, filling them generously. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the crusts are golden and the apples are tender and bubbling. Let the tarts cool slightly before removing them from the muffin tin.

Notes

  1. For extra crunch, sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts over the apple filling before baking.
  2. While apples are the main fruit, pears or figs would work wonderfully with browned butter.
  3. For a sweeter treat, drizzle the tarts with caramel sauce after baking.
  4. To make these tarts vegan, substitute dairy-free butter in the crust and filling.

Nutrition