Irish Apple Amber Tart (Printable)
Tender apples baked with golden meringue atop a crisp pastry shell with sweet and tangy flavors.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pastry
01 - 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
02 - ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
03 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
04 - Pinch of salt
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 2–3 tablespoons cold water
→ Apple Filling
07 - 5 large tart apples (Bramley or Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
08 - ¾ cup granulated sugar
09 - 1 lemon, zested and juiced
10 - 2 tablespoons water
11 - 2 large egg yolks
12 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
→ Meringue
13 - 4 large egg whites
14 - ¾ cup superfine sugar
15 - ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
# How To Make It:
01 - Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Rub in cold butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg yolk and 2 tablespoons water, mixing until dough just comes together. Add extra tablespoon water if needed. Shape into disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
02 - Roll pastry on lightly floured surface and line 9-inch tart pan. Trim excess pastry and prick base with fork. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
03 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line pastry with parchment and fill with pie weights. Blind bake 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment, then bake 8–10 minutes until golden. Cool slightly.
04 - Combine apples, sugar, lemon zest, juice, and water in saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until apples are very soft and most liquid has evaporated (10–12 minutes).
05 - Remove from heat. Stir in butter. Beat egg yolks and quickly stir into warm apple mixture to prevent scrambling. Spoon filling into prepared pastry case and smooth surface.
06 - Whisk egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, whisking until stiff, glossy peaks form.
07 - Spread meringue over apple filling, swirling decoratively and ensuring it touches pastry edge to seal. Bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes until meringue is golden. Cool at least 1 hour before slicing.
# Tips from dashanddishes:
01 -
- The contrast between crisp pastry, soft tangy apples, and pillowy sweet meringue creates layers of texture in every bite
- Its simpler than it looks but impressive enough for Sunday dinner with family
02 -
- The meringue needs to touch the pastry edge completely or it will shrink away from the sides while baking
- Room temperature egg whites whip up faster and hold more air than cold ones
03 -
- Grate a little nutmeg into the apple filling for warmth and depth
- Bramley apples break down beautifully but Granny Smith holds its shape a bit more