My Top Picks Winter Favorites

Apple-Cranberry Kuchettes (Little Tartlets)

Source: Found on Pinterest

Ingredients

Crust

  • 12 Tbls. butter
  • 1/3 c. white sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 c. unbleached white all-purpose flour
  • 1 c. whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 t. salt

Filling

  • 6 c. (5 medium) peeled and thinly sliced baking apples, cut into bit-size pieces
  • 1 c. fresh or frozen cranberries, halved
  • 1 c. white sugar
  • 1 t. ground cinnamon

Caramel Sauce

  • 1 stick butter
  • 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • pinch sea salt

Streusel

  • 1/2 c. unbleached white all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 c whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 c. white sugar
  • 1/2 t. salt
  • 1/2 c. butter, melted

Instructions

Crust: With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar in a bowl. Add egg yolk, flours and salt. Mix until crumbly. Put 1/4 cupful’s into individual tart pans and press to cover bottom and up the sides (no need to grease). Set aside.

Filling: Combine apples with 1 cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Stir in cranberries. Divide apple-cranberry mixture into tart pans, mounding a bit over the top.

Sprinkle streusel topping over the top of apple mixture in large clumps (I use my fingers). Gently pat the streusel down. Place filled tart pans on a large baking sheet.

Bake on the lowest shelf of your oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. After 30 minutes, take a peek, they should be golden brown and the apples, when tested with a small sharp knife, should be nice and soft. If the top looks golden brown, but the apples are still a bit firm, cover with foil and bake 5-10 minutes longer.

Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt or ice cream. Can also drizzle with a little caramel sauce, if desired.

Caramel Sauce: Melt butter in a medium size sauce pan. Add brown sugar and whisk to combine. Add cream and continue whisking. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add vanilla and a pinch of sea salt and taste; add a bit more salt if needed.

Streusel Topping: Mix the sugar, flours and salt. With a fork, stir in the melted butter until large wet crumbs form. Set aside.

NOTE: I used Braeburn apples. Macintosh, Cortland, Golden Delicious, Empire or Cameo would work well too.