Apple Tart with an Almond Cream Center

Phew, what a week it has been! I have returned to reality after spending some quality time with and preparing for a visit from friends. Dale is my very special friend of 47 years! We grew up together, we each had ups and downs; good times and bad times, the births of our children, the loss of loved ones, and battles with cancer. Through it all we remained the best of friends. So this was a special visit from special people that deserved only the best of eats!

The four of us (husbands included- after all they truly complete the "us") baked an Apple Tart, stage it for a photo op and took turns with the camera! Oh and I almost forgot- we ate it...what a bast! Ok, ok, I'm moving on to the yummy part. This tart has several components and is worth all the effort so hang in there. First is an Pate Sucree, then almond cream, an apple compote, and poached apples. So, lets get going!

Pate Sucree or Sweet Dough:

2 cups Flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

4 oz butter, cool, 1/2" cubes

2 eggs

Stir together dry ingredients. Add butter cubes; toss to coat. Using your impeccably clean hands rub the butter pieces into the flour. No visible pieces of butter should remain and it should have a sandy appearance. Beat the eggs and pour over the butter mixture. Stir with a fork until evenly moistened. Press together, shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill. Remove from refrigerator and blind bake on 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Set aside.

Apple Compote: (sorry about the metrics)

375g peeled, cored, and 1/4"cubes, golden delicious apples

62g sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp lemon juice

50ml water or apple brandy

Place everthing in a saucepan.Cover, place over low heat, and cook, stirring occassionally. The compote is finished when the apples are translucent and the water is evaporated. Set aside.

Almond Cream:

125g butter

125g sugar

125g ground almonds or almond flour

1 egg + 1 yolk

15g corn starch

Add all ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until thoroughly combined.

Poached Apples:

3 Golden Delicious apples, sliced

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup apple brandy

Add all ingredients to a saute pan; cover. Poach just until the fruit has softened. Remove from liquid and set aside to cool.

Assembly:

Spread almond cream evenly over cooled shell. Top with the apple compote. Arrange the slices around the top. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes until the crust is brown and the apple slices are carmelized and tender. I usually brush the top with warm apple jelly to give it a nice shine and keep the apples from drying out.

I hope you have as much fun making and eating this as we did!

Swedish Pear & Almond Cream Cake

This week the Heavenly Cake Bakers assignment was "free choice"! Yes! This worked out very well since we were traveling and the weather was hot and sticky. I knew I wanted something simple, tasty and different. The Swedish Pear and Almond Cream Cake fit the bill perfectly. Pears; light, sweet, delicate. Almond paste; whats not to love there and a sour cream base cake; yum.

So misen place the three components- the Almond Cream filling, the cake batter and the pears.

First the Almond cream which can be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator. Putting it together was a snap in a food processor by just combining the almond paste, butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, and a little flour.

In this recipe cake flour or all-purpose flour can be used. I chose cake flour. There is also sour cream along with the usual eggs, sugar, vanilla with baking powder and baking soda for leavening. I love a cake with sour cream, I find it to be richer and smoother especially when paired with cake flour.

The pears are simply thin sliced and drizzled with lemon.

For the assembly begin with a well coated and floured bundt pan. The cake batter is spread evenly all around and smoothed with a small metal spatula. Using the spatula again make a shallow depression in a circle around the pan. Spoon the almond cream into the depression. This helps to keep the cream from touching the sides of the pan. Next and last layer is the pears; in two overlapping rows around the top. Simple... right?! Exactly what I needed for this holiday weekend too.

Although the Swedish Pear and Almond Cream Cake is simple to make it is not an ordinary cake. The taste is incredible, the cumb is fine, and the almond flavor is just enough not to over power the sweet delicate taste of the pears.

I had no problem with this cake, it traveled well and everyone enjoyed it. Boy, am I glad I got the final picture when I did because it was gone in two days!

Traveling with baked goods is always a challenge. I find that I either make something that can take the heat or travel with a cooler filled with the components. What are you favorite traveling sweets?