How To Make a Delicious Custard Apple Tart

It's often been said that there's nothing better than a warm slice of apple pie, but I beg to differ! This delicious custard apple tart is nothing short of divine! It'll be love a first bite after you taste the pairing of apples and custard. 

This scrumptious treat tastes extravagant — from the grated walnut crust and the mouthwatering custard, to the juicy bites of fresh apple and wonderful aromas — but it's actually quite easy to prepare! No matter what occasion you plan to bake this apple dessert for, it's sure to be a big hit!

🥘 Ingredients

For the Short Crust

• All-Purpose Flour
• Icing Sugar
• Salt
• Butter (unsalted)
• Walnuts 
• Egg Yolks
• Water

For Pastry Cream

• Lemon Juice
• Cinnamon
• Apples
• Walnuts
• Whole Milk
• Heavy Cream - 30% milk fat is recommended
• Egg Yolks
• Eggs
• Granulated Sugar
• Corn Starch
• Vanilla Extract

See the recipe card for quantities.

🔪 Instructions

Instructions for the Short Crust

First, you'll want to start out by running your flour and icing sugar through a sieve. Be sure to do this on a flat surface, and make sure they are not clanged together. Make a hole in the center (somewhat resembling a volcano) and add your salt. You're also going to cut your chilled, unsalted butter into small cubes and throw them in the center, too.

From there, start working the flour into the cold butter by squeezing it in with your fingers. You'll be squeezing cube by cube, so this process will take some time, but we need to get the butter mixed with the flour before the butter starts to melt.

Once the flour and the butter are fully worked together, we should end up with crumbs resembling breadcrumbs, which should stick together when compressed.

From here, you'll need to make another hole in the center of the mix. You'll be adding in your egg yolks, walnuts, and water.

Start gently working everything together into a dough. It's really important during this step that you don't overwork the dough, since that can cause it to crack when baked.

Cut the dough into two even balls once all those ingredients are nicely worked together. Wrap both of them in cling film and let them rest in a fridge for about an hour.

After the dough has chilled, put each ball between two sheets of baking paper. Get out your rolling pin and roll them to about 3-4 mm / 0.1 inch thickness.

You're going to use one for the base, so if you come across any cracks while rolling it out evenly, be sure to press it a bit, so the cracks are covered. Next, cut it with the cake pan ring, and place it on the cake pan base.

You're going to use the second dough to make a longer oval-shaped form with the same thickness, and cut it about 4 cm / 1.5 inch wide (or according to your cake pan height).

Use it to make the cake wall and press it on the bottom, so it connects with the base all around.

Remove any excess dough with a sharp knife and poke the base with a toothpick or a fork. You'll be able to freeze the excess dough and use it for the next time!

Apple Pastry Cream

To get started with your apple pastry cream, you'll want to fill about half of a mixing bowl with water and your lemon juice, and let it mix it a bit.

Next, start peeling your apples, and be sure to take out the pits! Unlike many popular apple pie recipes you might already be familiar with, which call for apples to be cut into wedges, you'll need to cut your apples into small cubes (about 0.5 cm / 0.2 inch). Drop the apple cubs into the bowl with the lemon water.

Mix 50 grams / ¼ cup of sugar and 5 tablespoon of lemon water in a small pan. Heat the sugar and lemon water on medium heat until the sugar dissolves.

From there, strain the apples from the rest of the lemon water mixture into a pan. You'll also be adding in the cinnamon and the roughly chopped walnuts to the pan.

Simmer them together on medium heat until the apples start caramelizing and softening (about 5–10 minutes). Let them cool down on the side.

Whisk the egg yolks, whole eggs, and sugar together in a separate medium bowl, leaving enough space for the milk and heavy cream. Next, add in the cornstarch to the mix and whisk well — you don't want to see any starch clumps!

Once that's been whisked well, you'll need to combine the milk, heavy cream and lemon zest (optional) in a larger pot. Be sure to leave some extra space in this case, too!

Bring everything to a simmer, and then slowly pour it into your bowl with the egg and cornstarch mix. It's important that you're vigorously whisking while pouring!

Next, pour the mix back in the pot and cook on low to medium heat, all while constantly whisking, until it starts to thicken.

When the whisk starts forming ribbons, add the vanilla extract and caramelized apples and walnuts. Take it off the flame.

At this point, your pastry cream is ready be poured in the cake pan. Make sure you don't over fill the cake pan, though, by leaving roughly 1 cm / 0.4 inch empty.

You'll need to bake your delicious custard apple tart at 180 °C / 356 °F for at least 40 minutes. For an indicator that your pastry is ready to come out of the oven, check if the surface of the custard starts to turn a golden brown.

When you do take it out of the oven, the cake should be jiggly when shaken.

Let the cake cool completely at room temperature before taking out the cake pan ring. In order to really impress your guests, mix one tbs. of cinnamon with one tbsp. of icing sugar before sieving it over the cake!

After that, all there's left to do is say "Bon Appétit!"

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🍑 Variations

If you don't have a standard cake pan on hand, this recipe can also be prepared in a springform pan and a tart pan.

Try this delicious Mock Apple Pie recipe for another delightful apple pie version with crumbles on top.

🍽 Equipment

• 9 inch / 23 cm Cake Pan
• Spatula
• Rolling Pin
• Hand mixer
• Whisk
• Mixing Bowls
• Parchment Paper
• Oven

🌡 Storage

You'll get 10-12 servings out of this recipe, so if you have any leftovers, it's important to know that this custard apple tart will keep in the fridge for 3 to 5 days! Just make sure you properly store any leftovers in a Tupperware container or cover it in Saran wrap. 

🙋🏻 FAQ

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📖 Recipe

⛑️ Food Safety

• Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

For further information, check Safe Food Handling - FDA.