My kids were fighting over the last slice of apple tart for breakfast—so my twelve year old and I made another tart out of the leftover sugar cookie dough. I always say “good comes from bad.” The way too sweet sugar cookie dough became the most delicious buttery tasting tart crust. With tart apples, the too sweet dough became heavenly. My daughter even asked for seconds. She often passes on the desserts I make and I have never heard her ask for seconds.
1 cup spectrum organic non hydrogenated shortening or earth balance vegan baking sticks
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose gluten free flour
1 teaspoon xanthum gum (if flour blend does not contain xanthum gum)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 apples
- To measure the shortening and earth balance, I put one tablespoon of earth balance in a one cup measuring cup and then fill the rest with earth balance until it is a level cup.
- Combine shortening/earth balance with sugar and egg, egg white, vanilla extract and salt. Mix well. Add the remaining ingredients and stir together until combined. You can do this in a mixer or by hand.
- Flatten into a 1 inch thick round shape. Cover with plastic and refrigerate.
- Grease a tart pan with with spectrum shortening. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Roll out dough after it has hardened a little between two pieces of parchment paper until it is about 1/4 inch thick.
- Refrigerate for a few minutes if necessary so that the dough is not too soft. It must be soft enough to bend a little when you turn it into the tart pan—but you want it hard enough so that it doesn’t stick to the parchment.
- Remove the top sheet of parchment paper and turn the rolled out dough into the tart pan.
- Remove the second parchment paper and press into the tart pan so that it is even all around. The sides should be 1/4 inch thick.
- Peel, core and slice 4 apples.
- Arrange apples in circular pattern on top of crust starting with the outer circle first. Then do a smaller circle until the entire crust is covered with apples.
- Dot with spectrum shortening and put in the oven for 45 minutes until crust is nicely browned on the edges and apples are well cooked.