Mini shortbread apple tarts with salted caramel

Easier than apple pie!

Freshly picked apples are one of the delights of autumn. Their beautiful red skins and crisp texture seem a perfect pairing with the changing seasons. These delicious tarts are a great way to showcase apples in a pretty way and I think you’ll find this recipe super easy as well. Note that if you’d like, you can double the quantities and follow the same directions below to prepare a 9 inch tart (use a springform pan). Mini or full sized tarts can be baked ahead and frozen in an airtight container for up to three months, though I doubt you’ll be able to wait that long to polish ’em off.

Ingredients

For the shortbread crust:

• 3/4 cup (185 mL) all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons (45 mL) white sugar
• 1/3 cup (90 mL) very cold butter

For the filling:

• 2 medium apples
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 mL) ground ginger

For the topping:

• 1/4 cup (60 mL) caramel sauce (purchased or homemade)
• 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 mL) fine sea salt or Maldon salt flakes

Method

• Start by preheating oven to 375F. Line a twelve-compartment muffin pan with paper liners (use the parchment ones if you can find them) and set aside.
• Prepare shortbread crust by combining flour, sugar and butter, cut in 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) cubes in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Alternatively, you can also combine flour and sugar in a medium sized bowl and use a box grater to grate the butter into the flour mixture. Combine well with your fingers, rubbing the grated butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
• Divide the flour mixture among the twelve muffin tin compartments and press down with the back of a small spoon.

• Bake for 15 minutes until just beginning to turn golden brown. Remove muffin pan from oven but do not turn oven off.
• While crust is baking, prepare fruit filling by peeling and coring apples, then cutting into thin pieces (approximately 1/8 inch by 1/2 inch).
• Put the cut apples in a bowl, toss with lemon juice. Combine sugar, cinnamon and ginger and sprinkle over apples then stir to combine.
• When crust has baked, top with apple mixture, dividing evenly among the twelve tarts. Press down very lightly with fingers.
• Top each tart with 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of the caramel sauce and finish with a sprinkling of salt.

• Return pan to oven and bake for 20 – 25 minutes, until apples are tender and caramel sauce is bubbling.

• Let cool at least 1 hour at room temperature or 30 minutes in the refrigerator (to allow caramel sauce to set) before removing from paper liners and serving.

Makes 12 mini tarts.