Recipe

ABC Tart: Apple, Bacon and Cheddar

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Photo by foodfighter

This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Late Winter Tart (Sweet or Savory)
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foodfighter's Notes: Mid to late winter I always end up with some apples that are just not quite that sweet on their own. Glazed with some maple syrup and butter and combined with two of my other foods (bacon...
Mid to late winter I always end up with some apples that are just not quite that sweet on their own. Glazed with some maple syrup and butter and combined with two of my other foods (bacon and cheese), there is a real winning combination. This makes me forget that winter goes on so long in Chicago.

This recipe is a bit nostalgic in that it plays up the collaboration between bacon and maple syrup that has been happening on breakfast plates for years.

I used a lightly sweetened tart dough, so the candy like bacon mixture and apples can shine. Also, I made enough for two tartlets, and I just freeze any leftover dough for more tarts or cookies later on. Leftover apples make a good start to a quick German apple pancake.

Enjoy!

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Makes 2 tartlets

Tart Dough:

6 tablespoons combo of unsalted butter and leaf lard Ask a question about this ingredient

.25 cups sugar Ask a question about this ingredient

1 pinch salt Ask a question about this ingredient

1 egg yolk Ask a question about this ingredient

1 splash vanilla extract Ask a question about this ingredient

1 cup AP Flour Ask a question about this ingredient

Tart Fillings - Candied Bacon and Maple Glazed Apples:

2 apple (late season like fuji), sliced quite thin Ask a question about this ingredient

.5 pounds Bacon (thick cut) Ask a question about this ingredient

3 tablespoons Maple Syrup (Divided) Ask a question about this ingredient

3 tablespoons Butter (Divided) Ask a question about this ingredient

2 tablespoons Brown Sugar Ask a question about this ingredient

1 tablespoon Corn Starch Ask a question about this ingredient

1 tablespoon AP Flour Ask a question about this ingredient

1 pinch salt Ask a question about this ingredient

1 ounce Cheddar (mild, yellow) Ask a question about this ingredient

.25 cups water Ask a question about this ingredient

Tart Dough (Can do night before): Cream together butter, and if using lard, with sugar until smooth. Mix in completely the salt, vanilla extract and egg yolk. Add AP flour and mix until combined. I then form it into a disk and place in a zip bag overnight.
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The day you make the tarts: Preheat oven to 350.On a well floured surface roll out pastry dough into 5-6 inch circles and lay in tartlet pans (mine are 4 inches), remove any excess dough and fill in any cracks. Bake for about 15 minutes with weights or pierced with fork. While you are baking the tart shells, you can also cook the bacon to save time.
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Candied Bacon: Cook at 350 on a cooling rack in a half sheet pan for about 20-25 minutes (just a little crispy and lightly browned) will cook more on stove top. Remove from oven and let cool. Chop bacon coarsely. Melt 2 Tablespoons of the butter, add chopped bacon, brown sugar and 1 Tablespoon of maple syrup. Mix over medium-low to medium heat until combined. Add cornstarch and flour, and mix until they have dissolved, and syrup thickens. Remove from heat and reserve.
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Glazed Apples: Melt 1 Tablespoons of Butter over medium heat, add apples, 2 Tablespoons of Maple syrup and water. Reduce to a glaze stirring occasionally, about 5-7 minutes.
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I filled the tarts first with the bacon. If the syrup is too thick, you can thin it a splash of hot water. Then arranged the apples in an overlapping circle. Finally, grate cheddar cheese to taste.
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Right before you are ready to serve, broil to melt cheese and get bacon syrup sizzling.
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3 Comments on ABC Tart: Apple, Bacon and Cheddar

taste-bud added about 1 year ago

Looks and sounds like a delicious spin on elegant comfort food. Mmmmmm.

sozaroski added about 1 year ago

Just delicious! Looks beautiful and tastes even better. The combination of apples, maple, and bacon is fantastic...

beltmann29 added about 1 year ago

This dish is perfect. It's sure to impress all of your dinner party guests, whether they are the type to brag about their highly refined palate or the type to ask the waiter to bring them ketchup for their steak.

The tart is beautiful and has a great combination of sweet and savory flavors, and just enough crunch from the tart to offset the tender fillings. Nicely done, foodfighter.