Apple, Brie, and Honey Tarts
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Indulge in an autumnal symphony of flavors with these delectable Apple, Brie, and Honey Tarts! This savory appetizer or afternoon snack brings together the sweetness of ripened apples, creamy brie, and a delicious drizzle of golden honey. Cradled in buttery pastry, these tarts have a lovely soft texture that is perfect for serving alongside soup or pasta. You can simply imagine the aroma of sweet apples and rich, tangy brie intertwined in your autumn kitchen.
What are Apple Cheese Tarts?
Gathering ingredients:
To make these savory apple tarts, you will need to gather a few key ingredients. Full of impeccable sweet and tangy flavor, these tarts are truly a little culinary masterpiece!
Butter. This recipe is truly made all the better with butter! You can substitute olive oil for caramelizing the onions, if you prefer.
Onion. For caramelized onions, you will want to select a yellow onion, preferably a sweet variety. You could also use shallots in their place!
Sugar. Sugar is used in this recipe to help speed up the process of caramelizing the onions. You can omit this ingredient if you prefer, though it will take longer to cook the onions down.
White Wine. To add flavor and speed up the caramelization process, white wine is used. This can also be omitted, though it will take away from the unique flavor of the recipe!
Apples. You can use any variety of apples for this recipe, though a sweet red apple is preferred such as Honeycrisp, Jonathan, or Gala.
Brie. Brie really brings this recipe together with its creaminess and tangy flavor. If you need to substitute the brie, you can use goat cheese, Camembert, or Havarti for a similar flavor and texture.
Parmesan. Parmesan helps add some sharpness and bold flavor to this recipe. Other cheeses you can use in its place would be Pecorino Romano, Asiago, or a white cheddar.
Thyme. Fresh thyme leaves are added after baking. If fresh thyme is not available to you, you can sprinkle a pinch of dried thyme over each tart before baking.
Salt and Pepper. Flaky sea salt and freshly cracked pepper are ideal for this recipe, if possible!
Honey. The honey brings these apple cheese tarts together for a final little boost of sweetness.
How to MAke Apple, Brie, and Honey Tarts:
Step One: Begin by making the pie crust. Mix together the dry ingredients, then cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles course crumbs about the size of a pea. Add in cold water to bring the crust together until it is no longer crumbly. Cover the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour before baking.
Step Two: While the dough chills, caramelize the onions. In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Toss in the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Then, sprinkle in the sugar and season with a pinch of salt. Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan, bringing the onions to a simmer. Continue to stir occasionally to prevent burning, about every 5 minutes or so. Cook the onions over medium-low heat until they become caramelized, or deeply brown in color and a little sticky, about 30 minutes.
Step Three: Remove the dough from the refrigerator and unwrap it. Roll out the dough into a 12-inch (30-cm) diameter circle on a lightly floured surface. With a 4-inch (10-cm) round cookie cutter or small bowl, cut out about 9 circles. You will most likely have to knead the dough back together and re-roll it. Once all of the dough is cut out, press each circle into a 4-inch (10-cm) tart pan. Fold the overhang of the crust down into the inner edges of the crust, so that it is thicker than the bottom part of crust. Poke the bottom of the crust all over with the tines of a fork.
Step Four: In a small dish, whisk together the egg and water for the egg wash. Brush this all over the chilled crusts. Divide the caramelized onions, apples, and brie amongst the tarts, layering the ingredients so that some apples are covered in cheese and others sit on top. Cover each tart with a generous pinch of the parmesan cheese.
Step Five: Bake the tarts in the preheated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese has melted and lightly browned on top. Serve the tarts warm with a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves, flaky sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, and a drizzle of honey.
The apple and brie filling is baked inside of a delightfully flaky pie crust. This apple tart recipe makes nine 4-inch (10-cm) tarts, perfect for a little individual appetizer at a gathering. They are also wonderful as a little indulgent supper, if I do say so myself.
Inside of these apple cheese tarts is filled with fresh apples, caramelized onions, gooey brie cheese, and a hint of thyme. You will love every last bite!
xoxo Kayla
Apple, Brie, and Honey Tarts
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups (162 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (116 g) salted butter, cold and cut into 1/2-inch (1-cm) cubes
- 3 to 4 tbsp (60 ml) ice cold water
- 1 egg + 1 tbsp (15 ml), for egg wash
- 3 tbsp (44 g) salted butter
- 1 small onion, sliced thinly
- 2 tsp (10 g) granulated sugar
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) dry white wine, any kind
- 2 medium sweet apples, peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/4-inch (6.35 mm) slices
- 4 oz (114 g) brie cheese, rind removed and sliced
- 1/2 cup (50 g) parmesan cheese, grated
- 4 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped
- Flaky sea salt, for serving
- Freshly cracked pepper, for serving
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) honey
Instructions
- Begin by making the pie crust. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the cold lard and butter, and cut it into the flour mixture with a pastry blender, fork, or your fingers until it resembles crumbles the size of a pea.
- Slowly incorporate the water 1 tablespoon (15 ml) at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon. Bring the crust together with your hands until it forms a consistent dough that is no longer crumbly. Shape the dough into two discs of equal size and wrap them with plastic wrap.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before rolling and baking, or up to 3 days.
- While the dough chills, caramelize the onions. In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Toss in the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Then, sprinkle in the sugar and season with a pinch of salt. Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan, bringing the onions to a simmer. Continue to stir occasionally to prevent burning, about every 5 minutes or so. Cook the onions over medium-low heat until they become caramelized, or deeply brown in color and a little sticky, about 30 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and transfer the onions to a heat safe bowl until ready to use.
- Preheat the oven to 400° F (204° C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set these aside for now.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and unwrap it. Roll out the dough into a 12-inch (30-cm) diameter circle on a lightly floured surface. With a 4-inch (10-cm) round cookie cutter or small bowl, cut out about 9 circles. You will most likely have to knead the dough back together and re-roll it. Once all of the dough is cut out, press each circle into a 4-inch (10-cm) tart pan. Fold the overhang of the crust down into the inner edges of the crust, so that it is thicker than the bottom part of crust. Poke the bottom of the crust all over with the tines of a fork. Place the baking sheets into the refrigerator or freezer for about 20 minutes to chill the dough again.
- In a small dish, whisk together the egg and water for the egg wash. Brush this all over the chilled crusts. Divide the caramelized onions, apples, and brie amongst the tarts, layering the ingredients so that some apples are covered in cheese and others sit on top. Cover each tart with a generous pinch of the parmesan cheese.
- Bake the tarts in the preheated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese has melted and lightly browned on top.
- Serve the tarts warm with a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves, flaky sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, and a drizzle of honey.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
314Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
