Quince and Apple Tart with Half White Flour Crust


Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

For the crust

2 cups Cayuga Organics farmer ground half white flour
½ teaspoon sea or kosher salt
½ cup sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into small dice, and very well chilled
¼ cup ice water

DIRECTIONS

Combine flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine.

Add butter, and blend 15 to 20 seconds.

Start the blender and immediately start pouring water in a slow, steady stream. Should take 10 to 15 more seconds. Stop motor. The dough should appear dry, but hold together when pinched. If it falls apart, add another couple of tablespoons of ice water.

Turn dough out on to a sheet of plastic wrap, form into a 1 inch thick square, wrap, and refrigerate 1 hour to hydrate.

For quine

3 ripe quince
2 cups apple cider
2 cups sugar
1 stick of cinnamon
2 allspice berries
2 slices of lemon
Pinch sea or kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

Peel quince, slice into 6ths, and then core. Place in a sauce pan with the remaining ingredients, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, drop to a simmer, and cook partially covered until the quince is very soft when pierced with a paring knife. Carefully remove the quince to a sheet tray and chill.

For the apple puree

2 Granny Smith or other tart apples
½ stick butter
½ cup sugar
Generous squeeze lemon juice
¼ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons corn starch

DIRECTIONS

Add apples, butter, sugar, lemon, and salt to a small pot. Add water to barely come up to the tops of the apples. Bring to a boil, drop to a simmer, and cover with a parchment paper hat. Cook until the apples are very soft – about 30 minutes.

Dissolve corn starch in 2 tablespoons water, and then add to apples. Return to a boil, and then remove from heat, and transfer to the bowl of a blender. Puree well on high, scraping down the sides as necessary, and strain. Refrigerate.

To assemble tart

Cut dough in half, and roll out on a lightly floured surface to about 18” thick. Dust again with flour then transfer to a parchment lined sheet tray, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Once crust has chilled, place into a 12″ x 4″ rectangular tart mold sprayed with PAM. Work crust into corners, then trim, leaving ¼” of crust above edge of the tart mold. Refrigerate ½ hour to prevent it from shrinking. Preheat oven to 375°F.

Place a sheet of parchment over the tart shell, fill with baking beans, and blind bake in the oven on a sheet tray until golden brown – about 40 minutes.

Remove from the oven, carefully remove parchment, and pour off baking beans (save for another use). Spread ½ to ¾ cup apple puree evenly along the bottom of the tart shell.

Cut quince pieces on a hard bias into ¼ inch slices. Arrange on top of apple puree in an overlapping pattern.

Return to the sheet tray, and bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until the apple puree starts to bubble at the edges, and the crust is a darker golden brown on the edges.

Chill 1 hour, cut, and serve with caramel ice cream, and diced apples cooked in bourbon.

Recipe Property of Gabe McMackin