Description
Delight in these Mini Apple Tarts featuring flaky puff pastry shells filled with a spiced apple mixture of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples. Perfectly baked to golden perfection and optionally garnished with chopped pecans, caramel sauce, and whipped cream, these bite-sized treats make an ideal dessert for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry
- 17.3 ounce package puff pastry sheets, thawed but cold
- 1 tablespoon butter
Apple Filling
- 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and finely diced
- 3 large Honeycrisp apples, peeled and finely diced
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- Pinch nutmeg
- Pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
Optional Garnish
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- Caramel sauce
- Whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 375℉. Lightly spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Using two mini muffin pans is helpful if available.
- Cut and Shape Pastry: Unfold the puff pastry sheets and cut each sheet into 9 equal squares by following fold lines into thirds and then cutting those rectangles into thirds. Press each square into the mini muffin cups, molding to shape. Dock the pastry bottoms by poking holes with a fork. Bake the shells for 7 minutes.
- Sauté Apples: While the pastry bakes, sauté the diced apples with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large non-stick sauté pan over medium heat. Stir frequently until the apples become fork-tender, about 5-8 minutes.
- Prepare Thickener: Whisk together the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl to create a slurry.
- Thicken Filling: Stir half of the cornstarch slurry into the cooked apples and continue stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes until thickened. Add more slurry if needed to reach desired consistency. Remove from heat and allow to cool; filling will thicken further as it cools.
- Prepare Pastry Cups for Filling: Remove the puff pastry shells from the oven. Gently press down the puffed pastry with a teaspoon to create a well for the filling.
- Fill and Bake: Spoon a heaping teaspoon of the cooled apple filling into each pastry cup. Bake for an additional 10-12 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
- Cool and Garnish: Allow the tarts to cool in the pan for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. Once cooled, garnish with chopped pecans, caramel sauce, and whipped cream if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Keep the puff pastry cold but thawed to handle easily; if it warms up too much, chill in the freezer for 3-5 minutes before using.
- The apple filling can be prepared up to a few days in advance and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
- For best results, bake the puff pastry shells within an hour of serving to maintain optimal flakiness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini tart
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
