Apple Ring Tarts - Simple Saturday

What can I tell you about these crispy, rustic, sweet, caramelized Apple Ring Tarts (with a surprise brandy soaked cherry in the middle) that can be made in just a few minutes? Well, 'nuff said.

Apple Ring Tarts

There are only a few ingredients to this:Yet, the flavor is Classic American Apple Pie with buttery layers of French Puff Pastry. You can make a few of these using just a couple apples, or make enough for a banquet. There is something about biting into your own little apple tart that can make you feel cozy and connected no matter where you are eating.

Recipe: Apple Ring Tarts

1 sheet of Puff Pastry
1-2 Apples (peeled, cored, and sliced in rings about 1/2" thick)
1/2 Lemon juiced + equal amount of water
1 cup Brown Sugar
2 Tbls. Cinnamon
**Optional (but so good) Dried Cherries - soak them in a few Tbls. of Brandy (or Apple Juice)**

1) Dust your work space with a little flour and roll out the Puff Pastry a few inches in all directions.

2) Dip each apple ring in a bowl of equal parts lemon juice and water, shake off the drips and hold for the next step.

3) Pour the brown sugar and cinnamon into a large zip-lock bag. Place a few apple rings in at a time and shake gently to coat thoroughly.

4) Place an apple ring on the rolled out puff pastry and cut a circle around the slice with at LEAST 1 inch extra all the way around. (I used the top of a large container to cut mine.)

Do this one apple ring at a time so you can use the space wisely.

5) Pull the sides of the pastry dough up and around each apple ring, crimping and pleating the dough as you go. Squeeze to make sure each crimp sticks to the other one.

6) Reuse the extra pastry dough by stacking pieces of it on top of each other and roll it back out. This preserves the layering in the puff pastry dough.7) Drop a brandy (or Apple juice) soaked dried cherry in the center hole. Place the tarts on a parchment lined baking sheet and into a preheated 375F oven for 20-25 minutes.

Turn the pan once during the baking and if the dough has puffed in the middle just give a quick press down on the center to release the steam and continue cooking. Cool for a few minutes before removing from the pan.

Garnish with Powdered Sugar or a Honey glaze.

GREAT NeWs! These freeze well! Before cooking them, place the pan in the freezer and when frozen you can place them in a bag or container. Cook straight from the freezer onto a baking pan, just add a couple minutes cooking time if needed.The apple slice is just soft enough, but still tangy. The pastry is flaky and melt-in-your-mouth. It's sweet without making your teeth ache. Then, there's that little brandy soaked cherry surprise to finish it off. What you don't know is that I have a few warm ones just waiting for me to stop talking, so~~