When apples meet nutty brown butter and a rich baked custard, an ordinary tart becomes something special. This Apple Brown Butter Custard Tart layers caramelized Granny Smith apples over a creamy, golden custard in a buttery homemade pastry shell. The combination of tart fruit, toasted butter, and sweet filling makes this an inviting dessert for autumn gatherings, holiday dinners, or a weekend baking project.
The recipe starts with a simple tart shell made from all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter, and egg yolk. After mixing the pastry, press it into an 11-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and chill it before baking. The shell is baked with parchment and pie weights first, then finished without the weights to help it develop an evenly browned base. This extra step creates a sturdy crust for the rich filling.
The apples are the next highlight. Granny Smith apples hold their shape well and provide a pleasantly tart contrast to the sweet custard. They’re cooked in butter and sugar until lightly caramelized, adding depth and a delicate golden finish. Meanwhile, the remaining butter is heated until its milk solids turn brown and release a warm, nutty aroma. That brown butter is blended into the egg-and-sugar mixture with flour to create the custard.
A fluted tart pan with a removable bottom is especially useful for this recipe because it helps the finished tart release neatly while showing off its decorative edges. Arrange the caramelized apple wedges in overlapping circles for an attractive presentation, then bake the filled tart until the custard is puffed and deeply golden. Let it cool before slicing so the filling has time to settle.
This apple brown butter tart serves eight and is worth planning ahead for, since the pastry needs chilling and the finished dessert needs time to cool. Serve slices on their own or with a spoonful of lightly whipped cream. It’s a beautiful way to turn everyday apples into a dessert that feels both rustic and elegant.
Not quite what you are looking for? Try these other sweet recipes: Luscious Lemon Squares, Easy Chocolate Ice Cream or Salted-Caramel Pineapple Upside-Down Cake.
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Apple Brown Butter Custard Tart
Apple Brown Butter Custard Tart – How to improve on a basic apple tart recipe? Add brown butter, of course.
- Total Time: 3:00
- Yield: 8 1x
Ingredients
Tart Shell
- Vegetable oil spray
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon water
Filling
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 5 large Granny Smith apples (6 to 8 ounces each)—peeled, cored and cut into 6 wedges each
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray an 11-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom with vegetable oil spray. In a food processor, pulse the flour with the sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and egg yolk mixture and process just until the pastry comes together. Turn the pastry out onto a work surface and knead 2 or 3 times. Press the pastry evenly into the tart pan and refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes.
- Line the tart shell with parchment paper and fill loosely with pie weights. Bake for about 35 minutes, until the edge is set. Remove the parchment and pie weights and bake for about 20 minutes longer, until the tart shell is lightly browned all over.
- In a very large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add 1/2 cup of the sugar; cook over high heat until just brown. Add the apples, season lightly with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, turning once, until lightly caramelized, 12 minutes.
- In a small saucepan, cook the remaining stick of butter over moderate heat until the milk solids brown and the butter is fragrant, about 7 minutes. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs with the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar until thick and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the flour and 1/4 teaspoon of salt, then beat in the browned butter, scraping the milk solids into the custard mixture.
- Pour the custard into the shell; arrange the apples in a single layer of slightly overlapping circles. Bake in the lower third of the oven for 45 to 50 minutes, until the custard is puffed and richly browned. Transfer to a rack and cool before serving.
- Prep Time: :20
- Cook Time: 1:00
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven