Food ruts? Yes, I’m familiar. It really hits that you’re in the middle of a funk when a completely brilliant, original recipe or concept crosses your path. The simplicity. The beauty. You smack your forehead and cry out to the abyss “Of course! The bean IS the sauce! It all makes sense again, great merciful god above me!” Then you slide down from the euphoria and excitement into a bottomless pit of depression: “I am clearly incapable of such originality. I do not deserve this whisk. I shall curl into a ball and eat Kraft cheese products until my pants explode.”
I say nay! Nay to that feeling of inadequacy and failure. When I saw dear Deb using gingersnap cookies in a graham cracker crust I said “Self, go find your own rainbow. It will lead you to a pot of gold.” And it did. One filled with marzipan, apples, almonds, cinnamon, spice, and everything nice.
Shabam! Take that kick in the pants, food rut. Ain’t nobody got time for dat.
- Crust:
- 1 ½ c graham cracker crumbs
- ½ c almond meal
- 1 egg
- 5 T butter, melted
- 7 oz almond paste
- Tart filling:
- ½ c sugar
- 4 T butter, metled
- 3 Granny smith apples
- 1 t cinnamon
- Glaze:
- ¼ c apricot jam
- 1 T rum
- Topping:
- 1 c heavy cream
- 2 T powdered sugar
- Chopped cystallized ginger
- Make the crust: In a large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, almond meal, egg, and melted butter. Stir to combine thoroughly.
- Pour the crust meal into a 9" tart pan and press it down and up the sides using your fingers. It's a good idea to wrap your fingers in seran wrap to do this-- helps keep things from sticking.
- Roll out the almond paste to be about 10" in diameter. The idea is to have it come up the sides of the tart, but not to the same height as the crust. Lay the almond paste into the crust and gentle press it down.
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Make the filling: Peel the apples and cut them into ¼" slices. Toss them with the sugar, butter, and cinnamon.
- Starting on the outside of the tart, layer the apples down and either spiral them in towards the center or form concentric circles.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes and tent with foil after about 25 minutes, so the apples do not brown.
- Make the glaze: microwave the jam until runny, about 20-40 seconds. Stir in the rum and, using a pastry brush, spread it onto the warm tart (use all of it).
- Whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form and beat in the powdered sugar.
- To serve: top each piece of tart with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkling of the chopped crystallized ginger.
this looks phenomenal. marzipan – genius.
Never a dull moment with marzipan.
Looks awesome! And like something that I could make without messing it up!
It’s Leslie-proof!
Your creativity certainly hasn’t waned. I am looking forward to making this in the cozy, fall nights in Hawai’i.
Ah yes, cozy: the word everyone thinks of for your tropical paradise 😉