Tarts and pies share many similarities, mainly the crust. Tarts however, are thinner than pies and are baked in fluted tart pans. Tart pans come in different shapes including round and rectangular. If you want more of a dramatic presentation, a rectangular tart pan is one to try. Apple pies are typically a fall dessert, however with their year round availability they can be enjoyed at any time.

Pie Crust Made With Oil
2 cup flour
½ cup oil (light olive or canola oil)
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup milk

Sift flour and salt together. Beat oil and milk with a fork; add to flour, blend well. Divide in half. Roll between 2 sheets of waxed paper until size for pie tin. Another alternative is to mix all the ingredients in the pan pie it’s being baked in. This way the mixture can be patted into the pan. Either method is acceptable and will yield a tender and flaky crust.

Apple Filling
8 Fuji apples
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup white sugar + 2 TBS
1 tsp vanilla paste
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
2 tsp lemon juice

Peel, core and slice the apples. Place them in a large bowl filled with water and the lemon juice. After they are all sliced, pour the contents of the bowl into a large pot, add 2 TBS white sugar, and bring the mixture to a boil. Next drain the apples and add them back into the bowl and mix with the remaining white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla paste, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Vanilla paste is easy to use and a little goes a long way. The vanilla flavor is more pronounced and the little flecks of vanilla bean add character to any recipe.

Filled pastry lined pan with the mixture and bake in a preheated 350° for 40 minutes. Depending on the desired texture of the apples, the time may have to be adjusted. The Graham Cracker Walnut Crunch is a nice add-on, but not a necessity. This tart is great n it’s on.


1 c cinnamon graham cracker crumbs
1 c brown sugar
½ c chopped walnuts
½ c butter, melted

In a small bowl mix all ingredients until crumbly. Spread on a large plate or small cookie sheet and let mixture air dry for about an hour so that it gets nice and crunchy. Sprinkle tart liberally with the crunch. Serves 10.