Apple Tahini Tart with a Maple Oat Crust
This tart is the result of a simple question asked by my husband: “Why don’t you ever make the apple tart anymore?” The apple tart in question (from a 1984 cookbook by Abby Mandel) had an oat crust, a thick layer of frangipane, and a topping of cinnamon sugar-dusted apples fanned out in a pretty, concentric pattern. As it baked, the apples would sink and the frangipane would puff up around them. The whole tart had the most irresistible toasted almond and cinnamon aroma. Back when we were first married, this was probably the fanciest dessert I had ever made. I would bring it to work when I was an ob/gyn resident as a treat for the nurses, who started calling it “The Apple Tart.”
I love frangipane—a rich pastry cream made of creamed sugar, almonds or almond paste, butter, and sometimes eggs. While I’m not opposed to indulging in a rich dessert every now and then, cooking with lots of sugar and butter doesn’t fit with my new, brain-healthy way of eating. After a little trial and error, I came up with a way to reinvent the nostalgic apple tart as this Apple Tahini Tart with a Maple Oat Crust so that it’s still irresistibly delicious but packed with all brain-healthy ingredients.
Tahini Cashew Cream is my new frangipane
I started with the frangipane, wondering what could stand in its place. How about a tahini-rich spin-off sweetened with maple syrup? By using cashew cream instead of butter, the Tahini Cashew Cream has that same rich flavor and creamy texture that made the original tart so decadent. Although making a cream from almonds would be a natural choice, cashew cream is far easier: cashews don’t require and overnight soak (just a few hours is fine) and are easily creamed in a blender in just a few minutes. Tahini is a healthful upgrade from butter, thanks to the healthy fats and the benefits of sesamol—a phytonutrient in the sesame seeds that has antioxidant properties. By using cashew cream instead of butter, the whole fat profile of the tart shifts away from saturated fat towards a more brain-friendly monounsaturated one.
An apple a day
Apples are brain health superstars thanks to their high fiber content and impressive amounts of flavanols, those free radical-fighting antioxidant substances so important for fending off Alzheimer’s. Since much of an apple’s nutrition resides in the peel (apple peels contain up to 6 times more antioxidants than the rest of the fruit) you’ll leave the peels on. Plus, it’s one fewer step! Even though I use pure maple syrup to sweeten the crust, the cream, and the drizzle, the final result is not as sweet as most apple desserts. The natural sweetness of the apples really shine.
An easy, press-in crust made of oats, almond flour and dates
Finally, I thought about how to create a brain-healthier crust. Because making this tart requires a few steps, I wanted the crust to be really easy. Just pulse the ingredients in a food processor and press them into the tart pan, no dough-rolling required. The oats, almond flour, and date all add flavor and texture, along with a good dose of fiber.
The rest of the tart ingredients can be prepped in the 15 minutes that the crust is baking. I whizz the tahini cashew cream in a blender, stir together the tahini and maple syrup for the drizzle, and slice the apples. Because I like to take my time arranging the apples in a pretty pattern to make this special-occasion-worthy, I usually save this recipe for when I have a little bit of time in the kitchen: cozy weekends, holidays, or when I bring dessert to a dinner party.
A slice of this tart may not count as an apple a day, a healthy eating habit I highly recommend. But if you are craving a piece of apple pie, this tart keeps it in the brain-friendly category.
Servings |
9-inch tart
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- 1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup almond flour
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large Medjool date, pitted
- 1½ cups raw, unsalted cashews soaked in water for at least 2 hours
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1¼ cups cold water
- 2 large apples such as Gala or Pink Lady, halved, cored and cut into ⅛-inch slices
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon coconut palm sugar
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
- ½ teaspoon black sesame seeds
Ingredients
Maple Oat Crust
Tahini Cashew Cream
For the apples
Maple Tahini Drizzle
Sesame Seed Topping, optional
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- Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Place the ingredients for the crust in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until evenly combined.
- Pour the tart dough onto a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Cover the dough with wax or parchment paper and, using your hands, press in an even layer all over the bottom and sides of the pan. Use the flat bottom of a glass or a measuring cup to press the crust flat and even. Prick all over with a fork and place on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake the crust for 15 minutes, or until it is set in the middle and light brown. Set aside and let it cool.
- Drain the soaked cashews and place them in a blender with the maple syrup, tahini, and salt. Add half the water and turn the blender on medium to combine. Turn it up to high and blend until it looks like whipped cream, adding water by the spoonful until the consistency is just right. Measure out 2 cups for the tart, and store any extra in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Pour the cashew cream onto the center of the baked tart shell and smooth it over the surface using a spatula or a spoon. Arrange the apple slices in a concentric circle starting at the outside of the tart and working to the center. Press the slices gently into the cream. Stir the cinnamon and coconut palm sugar together in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly on the surface of the apples. Return the tart to the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the edges of the apples are browned and the crust is golden brown. Let the tart cool for about 30 minutes.
- In a small bowl, stir together the tahini, maple syrup and just enough water to form a pourable glaze, starting with one teaspoon water and adding more if needed. Drizzle in a concentric circle over the surface of the cooled tart, then sprinkle the sesame seeds overtop, if using.
- To serve, carefully lift the bottom of the tart pan away from its fluted side. Cut into wedges and serve.
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