This absolutely delicious holiday and feast day recipe is inspired by Ina Garten.
To make 6 four inch individual tarts:
1/2 recipe vanilla pastry cream
1 recipe butter pastry
3 golden delicious apples
6 T sugar
3 T butter, cold
1/2 c pear jam
2 T water
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Prepare the vanilla pastry cream the day before and keep chilled. Prepare the butter pastry and chill thoroughly (at least one hour). To assemble the tarts: Divide the butter pastry into six equal portions and roll out to an 8-inch circle on a floured surface. Center the pastry circle in each tart pan, and ease to fit, being careful not to stretch the dough. Trim excess dough from the pan edges. Spread 2 rounded tablespoons of pastry cream in the bottom of each tart.
Peel the apples, cut them into quarters, scoop out the seeds with a melon baller, and cut out the cores. Slice the apples into 1/4″ slices, and closely overlap the slices in each tart, pinwheel fashion, using about 1/2 apple per tart. You may have a few slices left over. Sprinkle each tart with 1 T sugar, and dot with 1/2 T butter.
Bake the tarts at 400 degrees for 45 minutes until the pastry is browned and the apple edges begin to brown. At the end of the baking time, melt the pear jam and stir in the water and nutmeg. Brush the hot pear glaze over the surface of the tarts when they come out of the oven, while they are still hot. Remove the tart pans to a wire rack to cool.
