Caramel Apple Tart

Again, I found myself with a fruit drawer full of apples.  What to do?  I just received my new, lightweight, Starfrit Cast Iron Cookware and decided to try an apple tart.  Hubby tried it, and after grinning, said that he really hopes he never becomes sugar intolerant.  Me too....
 

Yield: 8 Servings

  1 Cup all-purpose flour                                                           7 Tbl Butter

  1 Pinch Salt                                                                           1 1/4 Cups Sugar

  5 Tbl Butter, Cold And Diced                                                 1/2 Tsp Cinnamon

  2 Tbl Water, Cold                                                                   1/4 Tsp Nutmeg

  6 Medium Apples                                                                   

Place the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse to mix. Add the fat and pulse until it becomes sandy in texture. Add 2 tablespoons of cold water and mix with a fork. Squeeze some of the mixture between your fingertips. If it holds together, its fine.  If not, drip a little more water in and mix again.  It will still look like crumbs.  Pour into a bowl and mix with your hands until the dough comes together (1 - 2 minutes).  Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate.

Peel and halve enough of the apples to cover the entire bottom of the pan.  Remove the core with a melon baller and trim out the rest of the core with a knife.

Melt the butter in a 9 to 10 inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. When the butter has melted, sprinkle the sugar over the top, then nestle the apples in the sugar, cut side down. They should fit snugly alongside one another. The sugar and butter should bubble up around the apples. Continue to cook, without stirring, for 30 to 45 minutes, until the caramel is well colored and the apples are soft. While they cook, peel and core the remaining apples and cut into eighths then drop them in the caramel around the apples to fill in holes caused by shrinking.  Shake the pan from time to time to detach the apples from the bottom, but do not  stir. Cook until the caramel is well colored and the apples are soft when you prod them with a spoon.  After adding the apple slices, roll the pastry into a circle a smidgen bigger than the diameter of the frying pan. Cover and refrigerate it.

Turn the oven to 425F.

When the apples are soft, remove the pan from the heat and place on a baking sheet.  Remove the pastry disk from the refrigerator, wait until the caramel stops bubbling, then place the pastry on top, pushing down on the edges to cover the apples and tuck it inside the rim of the pan.  Place the pan in the oven and bake about 25 minutes, or until the pastry is nicely browned. Remove the pan from the baking sheet and place it on a cooling rack and loosen the edge of the pastry with a knife.  Allow to sit for 10 minutes. 

While sitting, line a flat baking sheet with non stick foil or parchment paper.  Place the baking sheet, foil/paper side down, on top of the frying pan. Flip the frying pan over onto the baking sheet and then use the pan to center the tart on the paper. Slowly lift the frying pan off the tart. If any apples or caramel stick in the pan, gently remove them with a spoon and replace them on your tart.

Per Serving: 378 Cal (41% from Fat, 2% from Protein, 57% from Carb); 2 g Protein; 18 g Tot Fat; 11 g Sat Fat; 4 g Mono Fat; 56 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; 41 g Sugar; 15 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 123 mg Sodium