Best-Ever Thanksgiving Dessert

Maple-Walnut Apple Tart Tatin

A tart tatin is a classic French apple tart showcasing a topping of glistening caramelized apples. I have adapted the concept to local ingredients by substituting maple syrup for caramelized sugar and taking advantage of the season’s local fabulous apples. As long as you have a good heavy ovenproof skillet (old-fashioned cast iron is perfect), this is an easy dessert to make. It is important to use Jonagold or golden delicious apples because they hold their shape well during baking. Accompany the tart with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

To make ahead: Make crust and roll it out up to 1 week ahead. Place on a parchment or wax paper-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, then foil and store it in the freezer.

Crust:

3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

5 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1/3 cup ice water

1 large egg yolk

1 tsp. lemon juice or white vinegar

Maple-Apple Topping:

1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick), softened

1/2 cup grade A amber pure maple syrup

2 lb. Jonagold or golden delicious apples (4 medium-large) peeled, cored and quartered

1/2 cup fresh cranberries

1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

To prepare crust: Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few large pieces. Add oil and stir with a fork to blend. Mix water, egg yolk and lemon juice (or vinegar) in a measuring cup. Add just enough of the egg yolk mixture to flour mixture, stirring with a fork, until dough clumps together. (Add a little water if dough seems too dry.) Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead several times. Form dough into a ball, then flatter into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Line a baking sheet or pizza pan with parchment paper or wax paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a circle, slightly less than 1/4-inch thick. Using sharp knife, trim to a 10 1/2-inch circle. (Diameter of the crust should be about the same diameter as the top of the skillet used to cook the apples.) Roll crust back over rolling pin and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Cover pastry with plastic wrap and freeze until solid, at least 20 minutes.

To prepare topping and bake tart: Preheat oven 425°. Smear butter over bottom and partway up sides of a 10-inch oven-proof skillet. Pour in maple syrup and tilt to coat bottom evenly. Arrange apples snugly, rounded sides down, over the maple syrup. Place skillet over medium-high heat and cook about 10 to 20 minutes. The maple syrup should begin to thicken and darken slightly. Remove skillet from heat. Sprinkle in cranberries and walnuts, letting some of them fall through the crevasses to the base of the skillet. Carefully ease frozen crust over fruit.

Place skillet in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°F and bake until crust is golden brown, 15 to 25 minutes. Immediately, protect hands with oven mitts and invert tart onto a heatproof serving platter. Replace any pieces of fruit or walnuts that cling to the skillet and spoon syrup in skillet over apples. Let cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves eight.

Per serving: 389 calories, 4g protein, 50g carbohydrates, 4g fiber, 20g total fat, 9g saturated fat, 59mg cholesterol, 78mg sodium.