Apples dashed with brandy make this simple apple tart shine and gives the perfect excuse to enjoy with a dollop of ice cream.
Ingredients
For the Tarts
1recipe Perfect Apple Pie Filling with Cinnamon and Cognac
2refrigerated pie crusts from at 16.7-ounce package
For the Oatmeal Crumble Topping
¾cupall-purpose flour
½cupold-fashioned oatmeal
½cupdark brown sugar
½teaspoonground cinnamon
6tablespoonsbuttermelted by not hot
For the Perfect Apple Pie Filling with Cinnamon and Cognac
¾cupgranulated sugar
¾teaspoonground cinnamon
¼teaspoonsalt
4poundscrispfirm apples such as Granny Smith, cored, peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick, about 12 heaping cups
4tablespoonsbutter
2tablespoonscornstarch
2tablespoonsbrandy
1teaspoonvanilla
Instructions
For the Tarts
Prepare Perfect Apple Pie Filling with Cinnamon and Cognac and refrigerate. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Meanwhile, mix the flour, oatmeal, sugar, and cinnamon. Stir in the butter with a fork until well combined then use your fingers to form clumps.
Unroll one of the refrigerated pie doughs and place it onto one side of a 12 X 18-inch baking sheet covered with parchment paper or a Silpat liner. Spoon half of the apple filling onto the dough, leaving a 2-inch border all around. Bring pie dough over filling, pleating it to fit. Sprinkle a portion of the crumble topping over the exposed filling.
Repeat the process with the remaining dough, filling and crumble. Bake until golden brown, 40-45 minutes. Cool slightly, serve warm with ice cream if you’d like. The tart can be made several hours ahead of time and warmed in a 300 degree F oven for 15 minutes.
For the Perfect Apple Pie Filling with Cinnamon and Cognac
Mix sugar, cinnamon, and salt; toss with the apples. Heat butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until it looks pale nutty brown. Add apple mixture; cover and cook until the apples soften and release their juices, about 7 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until juices thicken to a light syrup, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
Meanwhile, whisk cornstarch, brandy, and vanilla in 1 cup of water. Stir into apple mixture until it thickens, less than a minute. Transfer apples to a jelly roll pan to cool quickly. Refrigerate or set in a cool place until apples cool to room temperature.