Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups (180g) All-Purpose Flour (for pastry)
  • ½ cup (113g) Unsalted Butter, very cold and cubed (for pastry)
  • 1 tablespoon Granulated Sugar (for pastry)
  • ½ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt (for pastry)
  • 3–5 tablespoons Ice Water (for pastry)
  • 3 medium Firm, Tart Apples (about 450g, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced)
  • ¼ cup (50g) Lightly Packed Brown Sugar (for filling)
  • ¾ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon Freshly Grated Nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
  • 1 tablespoon All-Purpose Flour or Cornstarch (as a thickener)
  • 1 large Egg, beaten (for egg wash)
  • 2 tablespoons Coarse Demerara or Turbinado Sugar (for sprinkling)

Instructions:

  1. Combine dry pastry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt) in a food processor or large bowl. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized butter pieces remaining.
  2. Gradually drizzle in ice water, mixing just until the dough barely comes together. Form dough into a flat disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
  3. In a separate bowl, gently toss the sliced apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and the flour/cornstarch until evenly coated. Set aside.
  4. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove chilled dough, cut into 6 equal wedges, and roll each wedge into a rough 6-inch circle.
  5. Arrange the apple mixture in the centre of each circle, leaving a generous 1.5-inch border clear. Gently fold the pastry edges up and over the filling, overlapping slightly to create a rustic, open-faced tart shape.
  6. Brush the exposed pastry edges with the egg wash and sprinkle generously with the coarse sugar.
  7. Bake for 25–30 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through, until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
  8. Allow the Mini Apple Tarts to cool on the tray for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool slightly further before serving.