Tosca Apple Tart

Name: Tosca Apple Tart - Ligia G.
Ingredients: For the dough: 2 and a half cups (tea cups) of flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 3/4 cup butter or margarine; 2 full tablespoons of sugar; 1 beaten egg; 2 tablespoons of water. For the cream: 600 ml of milk; 6 tablespoons of sugar; 1 vanilla pod or 2 packets of vanilla; 4 tablespoons of cornstarch. For the Tosca cream: half a cup of sliced almonds; half a cup of sugar; 2 full tablespoons of butter; 1 tablespoon of flour; 1 tablespoon of milk; 3; 4 apples.

Dessert - Tosca Apple Tart by Ligia G. - Recipia

The Tosca apple tart is made with a crumbly pastry, vanilla cream, sliced apples, and a creamy almond topping that resembles a crispy crust. I found the recipe in a Greek cookbook, but I'm not sure of its origin. It's important to use the same teacup for all measurements. Sweet apples work best, as they balance the pastry and cream. Quick Info Total time: about 1 hour and 40 minutes, excluding cooling time and preparation of ingredients Preparation time: not specified exactly; the dough needs to chill for 1 hour Baking time: about 40 minutes, in two stages Servings: the number depends on the size of the pan and the cut slice; a round tart can be divided into about 8 servings Difficulty: medium Recipe type: apple tart with vanilla cream and almonds Ingredients For the pastry 2 and a half cups of flour 1 teaspoon of baking powder A pinch of salt Three-quarters of a cup of butter or margarine 2 tablespoons of sugar 1 beaten egg 2 tablespoons of water For the vanilla cream 600 ml of milk 6 tablespoons of sugar 1 vanilla pod or 2 packets of vanilla 4 tablespoons of cornstarch For the Tosca cream Half a cup of sliced blanched almonds Half a cup of sugar 2 tablespoons of butter 1 tablespoon of flour 1 tablespoon of milk For finishing 3-4 sweet apples A little egg for brushing the pastry before adding the vanilla cream Instructions 1. Preparing the pastry Let the butter sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before use. Sift 2 cups of flour into a bowl along with the baking powder and a pinch of salt. Add the butter cut into small pieces and the sugar. In a separate bowl, beat the egg with the 2 tablespoons of water, then add it to the ingredients in the bowl. Knead and gradually incorporate the remaining flour until you obtain a smooth dough. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about an hour. 2. Preparing the vanilla cream Warm a little milk. Place the sugar in a cup and pour some of the warm milk over it, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Split the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. In a small saucepan, combine the remaining milk, vanilla, and cornstarch. Add the milk with the dissolved sugar, then heat over medium heat. When the cream starts to thicken, remove the saucepan from the heat. If using powdered vanilla or vanilla sugar, add it at this stage. The remaining vanilla pod after removing the seeds can be placed in the container where you keep your sugar. Over time, the sugar will acquire a vanilla flavor. 3. Preparing the Tosca cream In a saucepan, combine the sliced almonds, sugar, butter, flour, and milk. Mix the ingredients and place the pot over medium heat. Cook until the mixture is smooth. There’s no need for complicated preparation; the Tosca cream is made directly in the saucepan with all the ingredients combined. 4. Preparing the apples Peel the apples and cut them in half. Each half should then be sliced thinly, making sure not to cut all the way through. The slices should remain attached at the base so that the apple halves can be placed whole on the tart. 5. Forming the base Remove the dough from the fridge and divide it into two parts. Use about two-thirds for the tart base. Roll out a sheet thicker than a regular pie crust and place it in a round tart pan. With the remaining dough, form two long strips, twist them, and place them around the edge of the tart. These serve a decorative purpose and also create a border for the filling. 6. First baking Preheat the oven to a high temperature. Bake the tart base for about 10 minutes. In the original recipe, the temperature used was 200°C. After this stage, let the dough cool. Brush it with a little egg and spread the vanilla cream on top. 7. Assembling the tart Place the sliced apple halves over the vanilla cream. Since the slices remain attached at the base, the apples can be arranged easily and maintain their shape. Then pour the Tosca cream over the apples and spread it as evenly as possible to cover the surface of the tart. 8. Final baking Put the pan back in the preheated oven, this time at medium temperature, about 170°C. Bake the tart for about 30 minutes or until the surface turns golden. Let the tart cool before slicing. The vanilla cream needs time to set, and the slices will come out better if you don’t serve it immediately after taking it out of the oven. Why I make this recipe often This recipe is worth repeating because it uses common ingredients but combines multiple textures into one dessert: crumbly pastry, soft cream, apples, and almonds. It’s perfect when you want a more substantial tart than a simple apple one, without preparing a complicated pastry recipe. The vanilla cream can also be used separately. If you add 2-3 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the prepared cream and put it in cups in the fridge, you’ll get chocolate cream. Tips Use the same teacup for all measurements, as the amounts for the dough and Tosca cream are given in cups. Butter is easier to incorporate if taken out of the fridge about 30 minutes beforehand. It doesn’t need to be melted. When rolling out the dough, the tart base should be slightly thicker than a pie crust. This way, it can support the creams and apples. Do not cut the slices completely through the apple halves. If they separate, it will be harder to place the apples evenly in the tart. The first baking takes about 10 minutes at 200°C. After adding the creams and apples, the temperature drops to 170°C, and the tart bakes for another 30 minutes. The Tosca cream should be smooth before spreading it over the apples. Mix the ingredients over medium heat, without leaving the mixture unattended. Substitutions The butter in the dough can be replaced with margarine, as specified in the original recipe. For the vanilla cream, you can use either a vanilla pod or 2 packets of vanilla. If using a pod, do not throw away the remaining part after extracting the seeds. Stored in sugar, it will gradually flavor it. In the Tosca cream, the almonds should be blanched and sliced. The recipe does not specify another type of nut, so the texture and flavor will be closest if you stick with almonds. Variations The vanilla cream can be transformed into chocolate cream by adding 2-3 tablespoons of cocoa powder. This is placed in cups and left to chill. For the apple tart, use sweet apples, not too sour. The recipe is designed for apples that provide enough sweetness after baking. Serving Ideas The tart is served after cooling, when the vanilla cream is firmer and can be cut more easily. It can be sliced simply, without any additional toppings, as it already has pastry, cream, apples, and the almond layer. Frequently Asked Questions Can I prepare the dough ahead of time? Yes. The dough needs to chill for about an hour before use anyway. It’s important to cover it with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Why is the dough baked before adding the cream? The base is baked separately for about 10 minutes at a high temperature, then cooled. After that, the vanilla cream, apples, and Tosca cream are added, and the tart is baked again at 170°C. When is the Tosca cream added? The Tosca cream is prepared separately from almonds, sugar, butter, flour, and milk. It is placed over the apples after the base has been brushed and covered with vanilla cream. Can I use completely sliced apples? Yes, but in the original recipe, the apples are cut in half, and the slices remain attached at the base. This keeps the apple half's shape and makes it easier to arrange in the tart. How do I make chocolate cream from vanilla cream? Add 2-3 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the prepared vanilla cream, then place the mixture in cups and refrigerate. Nutritional Values The values are approximate, as they depend on the type of butter or margarine, the size of the apples, the shape of the pan, and the number of slices. For one serving, if the tart is divided into 8 slices, a rough estimate is: Calories: approximately 480-520 kcal Protein: approximately 7-9 g Carbohydrates: approximately 60-70 g Fats: approximately 24-28 g Most of the fats come from the butter or margarine, while the almonds contribute both to fats and proteins. The carbohydrate amount mainly comes from flour and sugar. Storage and Reheating Store the tart covered in the refrigerator. The vanilla cream and apples make the dessert more suitable for cold storage than at room temperature. It can be served cold after being in the fridge. Reheating is not essential and may soften the cream and pastry, so it’s better to let the portion sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.

Tosca Apple Tart

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