Apple Tart

With the crisp fall air comes those deliciously fresh and juicy apples... the ones you wait all year for... the varieties only available in the fall! Who wouldn't be tempted to purchase gobs of these beautiful fruits with their many varied hues... I keep coming home with bags of these from the last days of the farmer's market, and I simply cannot eat them all! I made an apple pie, which was good, but... something a little more creative was in order. Hence, the Apple Tart...

1 pie crust (make according to your favorite recipe!)

3-4 apples, peeled and sliced thin

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cardamom

4 Tbsp butter

1 cup pecans or walnuts

1/3 cup maple syrup

1 cup apple cider

1 cinnamon stick

1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350

Press crust into an 8" tart pan with removable bottom. Prick with a fork and bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a large pan. Add nuts and saute over medium low heat until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Let cool. Melt remaining butter in a smal

l saucepan.

In a food processor, process nuts until crumbling. Add melted butter and maple syrup. Process until the consistency of a chunky nut butter.

Combine apples with brown sugar, cinnamon and cardamom.

Spread nut mixture into the prepared tart crust. Arrange apples on top of nut mixture in a circular fashion.

Bake for 25 minutes or until apples are soft.

While tart is baking, simmer 1 cup of apple cider over medium heat with a cinnamon stick, until reduced to about 1/4 cup. In a small bowl, combine cider reduction with powdered sugar. Drizzle over cooled tart.

Also great served with fresh whipped cream!