Dessert or Cheese Plate? Apple Goat Cheese Tart
This apple & goat cheese tart is a mix between a dessert & a cheese plate. The recipe uses no sugar (just honey). So while it is a touch sweet from the honey and apples, it has a slight tangy cheese flavor. I served it after I made my Moroccan chicken and I have to say it was a nice subtle finish to the meal (no need to overwhelm the palette any further!).
P.S. These individual tarts make for a nice dinner party presentation.
I use pepperidge farm pastry dough because it’s easy and accessible. It needs to be rolled out on a floured surface to be about 12”x 12”. With a bowl about 5” in diameter (think cereal bowl) cut out 8 circles from the two sheets of dough. You may need to use a small pairing knife to cut around the bowl.
Use a smaller circular bowl about 3” in diameter (use a smaller bowl, biscuit cutter, or tupperware!) to make rings from 4 of the circles.
Use a fork to poke holes all over the dough. I poked holes on the rings too (not pictured here).
Take the beaten egg and brush it on the outer edges of the full circles. Place the rings on top of the full circles. The egg wash acts as a glue in this process. Place the pastry shells in the freezer for at least 30 mins.
While the pastry shells are in the freezer, peel and core the apples.
Then thinly slice. You may not end up using all of the slices but I like to cut some extras to give me choices when designing(!) my tartlets.
Mix together the goat cheese, lemon, & salt. Take the pastry shells out of the freezer and spread the goat cheese mixture onto the pastry shells.
Mix the honey and melted butter. The recipe calls for dark honey but I’ve used regular honey and it tastes equally as good.
Arrange the apple slices, drizzle with the honey mixture, and sprinkle with the allspice. Then place in the oven for about 30 - 35 mins. Some of the honey will spill out - I took this photo about 5 minutes into the process. Don’t worry the tarts still come out great.
And here it is! Delicious!
For some reason I kept photographing the same tartlet - but they were all equally pretty. I made this for a party of four but for a bigger party just double the recipe.
APPLE & GOAT CHEESE TARTLETS
Adapted from epicurious
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
1 egg, beaten to blend
3 ounces soft fresh goat cheese
1/2 tbs fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp coarse kosher salt
2 medium Gala apples, peeled, quartered, cored, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
1 1/2 tbs unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup, 2 tbs honey (dark recommended), divided
1/4 tsp ground allspice
Preparation
1. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Roll out each puff pastry sheet on lightly floured surface to 11-inch square. Using 5-inch-diameter cookie cutter or bowl, cut out 4 rounds from each pastry sheet, forming 8 rounds total. Pierce rounds all over with fork. Using 3 1/2-inch-diameter cookie cutter or bowl, cut out smaller rounds from center of 4 rounds (reserve 3 1/2-inch rounds for another use*), forming four 5-inch-diameter rings.
3. Brush outer 1-inch edges of 5-inch rounds on baking sheets with beaten egg; top each with 1 pastry ring. Freeze at least 30 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep frozen. Do not thaw before continuing.
4. Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix cheese, lemon juice, and salt in bowl; spread mixture inside rings on frozen pastry rounds. Overlap apple slices atop cheese. Mix butter and 1/4 cup honey in small bowl; brush over apples. Sprinkle with allspice.
5. Bake until apples are tender and pastry is golden, about 35 minutes. Place tartlets on plates. Drizzle 1 tablespoon honey over each and serve warm or at room temperature.
Planning tip:
Bake the tartlets four to six hours ahead, then store them uncovered at room temperature. Rewarm in a 350°F oven for five to ten minutes. Drizzle tartlets with honey just before serving.
*I like to cut the spare rounds into little triangles and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and bake in the oven for about 15 mins.
