Name: Appeltaart
Prep time: 45 min
Total time: 255 min
Ingredients: 3.25 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting; 1.333 cups confectioners' sugar; 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt (we use Diamond Crystal); 2 sticks plus 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes; 4 large egg yolks, plus 1 egg white; 5 pounds tart apples, such as Granny Smith (10 to 12), peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 15 cups); 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice; 2 cups packed light-brown sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling; 3 tablespoons cornstarch; 3 cinnamon sticks, ground (1 tablespoon); 7 whole cloves, ground (¼ teaspoon); 1 teaspoon ground ginger; 0.5 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg; 0.25 teaspoon coriander seeds, ground (a heaping ¼ teaspoon); 0.25 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground (a heaping ¼ teaspoon); 2 tablespoons heavy cream; 1 cup walnuts, finely chopped; Lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving

Appeltaart

4.0

(12)

2 Reviews

Martha Stewart Editors

Updated on October 16, 2020

tomatoes beside appletaart — Photo: Paola + Murray

Prep Time:

45 mins

Total Time:

4 hrs 15 mins

Servings:

A traditional Dutch apple pie, the appeltaart has reportedly been showing up on dinner tables since the Middle Ages. This modern rendition flavors sweet-tart apples with a speculaas-inspired spice blend, and bakes them inside a rich, crisp, and buttery double crust.

Ingredients

3 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 ⅓ cups confectioners' sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt (we use Diamond Crystal)
2 sticks plus 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
4 large egg yolks, plus 1 egg white
5 pounds tart apples, such as Granny Smith (10 to 12), peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 15 cups)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups packed light-brown sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 cinnamon sticks, ground (1 tablespoon)
7 whole cloves, ground (¼ teaspoon)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon coriander seeds, ground (a heaping ¼ teaspoon)
¼ teaspoon fennel seeds, ground (a heaping ¼ teaspoon)
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
Lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving

Directions

Pulse flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size pieces remaining. Add egg yolks; pulse until no dry flour remains but dough is still crumbly (do not overmix, or pastry will be tough).
Transfer two-thirds of dough to a 10-by-3-inch springform pan (or a cake pan with bottom and sides lined with 2 crisscrossed parchment strips, leaving 4 over-hanging ends), pressing it evenly into bottom and up sides. Shape remaining dough into a flat disk; wrap tightly in plastic. Refrigerate both doughs until firm, about 1 hour.
In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice, 2 cups brown sugar, cornstarch, and spices. Transfer to chilled crust, tamping gently to compact filling. Roll out remaining dough on a lightly floured surface to an 11-inch round. Center over filling, then fold edges in and crimp together with sides of tart dough to adhere. Whisk together egg white and cream; brush over top of pastry. Cut a few vents in pastry. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar and walnuts. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place tart on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown and fruit is tender, 2 hours to 2 hours, 15 minutes. Let cool completely (preferably overnight) in pan on a wire rack. Remove sides of springform or use parchment overhang to transfer tart to a cake plate. Cut into wedges and serve with whipped cream.

Cook's Notes

You can make this pie up to one day ahead, loosely cover once cool, and store at room temperature.