Apple Pie Tarts

Rain finally fell on our pastures and hayfields.  The soil and our hearts sighed relief!  The past 2 days have been chilly though, by recent standards...mid 70s!!  low 80s!!  Brrrr.  A touch of fall is in the air (more like a slight hint of a dream of fall).  The kitchen beckons!

Today's offering.... wait, let's back up a few months....sorry, please indulge me.  For my birthday (on the first day of Spring) my daughters bought me these tiny tart molds:

How could they possibly have known that I wanted these cute things?
(It could have been the email I sent them with a link to a website selling them.....that's just one scenario).


Oh, and one more thing......I have been romantically involved with bite-sized desserts (you may recall that I've already mentioned that)....


So....ta da.... the newest addition to my wonderful one-bites


Apple Pie Tarts

This was the first attempt...and was a hit!  I served them to some friends who are to be married in a couple months.  The groom-to-be said, "A whole tray of these would make a perfect wedding gift."  Hmmmmm...that's easy enough.

I'm quite proud of them!  My recipe made 19 (I was shooting for 24...next time, I'll be more careful to divide the dough more evenly).











Apple Pie Tarts

Streusel topping
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
tiny pinch of salt
2 Tablespoons cold butter, cut into little cubes

Pie dough for a 9 inch pie

1 large apple (your favorite), about 1 cup
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon brown sugar

1 egg
1 cup half&half
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon


In a small bowl combine the 5 dry struesel ingredients.  Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Divide pie dough into 24 equal-sized balls and press each ball into the bottom and up the sides of 24  2-1/4in fluted tart molds making sure the sides are completely filled with dough.  Place the filled tart molds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Set aside.

Peel, core and dice the apple (about a medium dice).  In a skillet, melt the butter on medium heat and add the brown sugar, stirring till sugar is dissolved.  Add the apple dices and cook till they're tender, about 6 minutes.  Put about a heaping teaspoon of apple into each tart shell.

In a small bowl beat the egg and add the half&half and vanilla.  To this mixture add the sugar, flour and cinnamon, blending well.  Pour this over the apples, filling each tart shell.  Bake for 20 minutes then top each tart with streusel topping and continue baking for another 15 minutes or until the tops puff up and are golden brown.