This was a perfect Christmas Eve dessert. Yeah, you read that right, I made this three weeks ago! Take that Baking with Julia! I’ve previously lamented my last minute baking for this group but I made this one almost a month ahead of schedule! I’m just gonna go ahead and pat myself on the back something fierce!
We chose not to travel this Christmas and while I did miss my immediate family, I got to spend it with some of my family that lives nearer to us and it was fantastic. We hung with two of my aunts and two of my favorite cousins and it was one of the most chill and delightful Christmases ever! I sort of felt like the yuppie couple who lives next to the Griswold’s in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, but I’m oddly okay with that. Plus we didn’t get attacked by a Rottweiler or anything like that so we’re doing better than them by miles already.
I like to think that Tristan and I would never wear these metallic sweatsuits, but who knows what the future will bring?
I thought that roasting the apples beforehand made this dessert different and special. Definitely not efficient time-wise, but I’m okay with that. It reminded me of the blueberry nectarine pie from last year where we cooked the filling before baking it. Just another layer of flavor I guess. I’m proud to say that this was my first tart crust that didn’t totally shrink while it was baking and it made me extremely happy. Though I’m not 100% comfortable with the consistency of the pie/tart crust recipe from BWJ pre-bake, I will say that it delivers tremendous results in the final product. Looked beautiful and tasted amazing as well!
Getting things done so far in advance felt good at the time, but now I am struggling to remember what I wanted to say about ths recipe specifically. I thought it was the perfect dessert for our meal of cassoulet and I really appreciated that it wasn’t tremendously sweet, but apart from that the details are escaping me. Oh well. I do remember that it was delicious though so if you’re interested in having this apple goodness in your life, visit Gaye of Laws of the Kitchen for the recipe.
P.S. Merry late Christmas from the cutest and fattest cat I know: Poppet
Meow!
Too cute!
Loved your post!
great baking along with you.
Looks lovely. I got kind of annoyed with the pre-bake thing, so I just threw everything in a pot and let it all melt down, as if I was making applesauce. Don’t know if it was any quicker, but it saved me the washing of the jelly-roll pan, at least. I’ll let you know how it tastes once I actually bake the tart (tonight). Talk about procrastinating. Showoff! : )
Love the reference to the neighbors in Christmas Vacation. My kids’ favorite lines from that movie? “And WHY is the carpet all wet, Todd?” “I don’t know, Margo!”
That’s my favorite line too!!!
Looks beautiful!
Beautiful! I really wish I enjoyed this tart more, because it is just so lovely! Maybe my expectations were too high.
I do love this pie crust though. It always turns out a wonder, and it has never shrunk on me. Yours looks really terrific!
Very well done…your tart is beautiful. This would be a beautiful Christmas dessert…but I think this recipe needs a little tweaking. Fun post.
Maggie, Gorgeous tart! This is a perfect dessert for Christmas…very impressive and festive! Glad you enjoyed it! Fun post!
The metallic sweatsuits comment made me laugh out loud. I was also impressed by the dough as it almost didn’t shrink, even though I was baking on a hot summers day in Australia so could have easily over worked the dough.
Great looking tart!
Yeah – I skipped the apple pre-bake and just used apple sauce mixed with bread crumbs and some apple fiber. I had no stinking patience for that piece this weekend (I was having a day filled with epic kitchen fails).
It looks great and Poppet is just too much
Great post!! Loved the nod to Christmas vacation……so funny!! And your tart looks wonderful. Perfect slice there.
)
What a big and adorable cat.
You deserve a big pat on the back for getting this done so early! What a great treat for Christmas Even and so beautiful, too! Merry Belated Christmas, Poppet-you are adorable!
Your apples got great coloring! Kudos!
More Poppet pics please!
Ha! She is a very photogenic cat but I don’t see her all that often since she lives at my aunt’s house. Her nickname is Brunswick because she is round like a bowling ball and I love her!
I baked the tart a week ahead of time and had trouble remembering the details. Your tart’s beautiful.
Beautiful tart. I have to write my post the same day I bake or I will not remember a thing. I do jot down notes while baking; unfortunately by the time I sit down to write I am unable to decipher what I wrote – Hahaha. This was a fabulous dessert. Poppet is adorable!
What advance planning! It is a perfect dessert for a special night. I know I will make this again.
Great looking tart! And your cat is super cute, too.
Finally, crust success for Maggie! Yay! What a perfect holiday dinner dessert. Did Poppet enjoy the tart too?