These Salted Caramel Apple Tartlets are not only amazingly delicious, but beautiful too! Thin apple slices are arranged to look like a rose and drizzled with a yummy, spiked salted caramel sauce.
My friend Vanessa gave me these beautiful apples from her CSA box. I was surprised that apples are still growing this time of the year in the Pacific NW. They were perfectly crunchy and tart and just begging to be baked into something delicious! Since Valentine’s day is right around the corner, I opted to do something fitting for the season – Salted Caramel Apple Tartlets.
I also got a new toy this weekend. Something I’ve been wanting for quite a while… A mandoline! And, I LOVE it! These nifty tools slice, julienne and make waffle cuts. They slice REALLY thin. I decided that these apples would be the perfect vehicle to put my new tool to the test. Layers of apple arranged to look like little rosebuds. The slices need to be extra thin so that they are pliable enough to wrap around each other.
The crust is not overly sweet, lightly flavored with almond extract, and perfectly flaky – A bit like a shortbread. It comes together easily using your stand mixer, or by hand. Par bake the crusts to get them crispy and golden. They’re then topped with a glorious salted caramel sauce. To kick it up a notch, I spiked the caramel sauce with a splash of apple brandy which I had leftover from these yummy Harvest Moon cocktails. A little splash never hurts, right?
I’m not gonna lie, arranging the apples can be a bit of a challenge. It takes some time, but the caramel helps to hold your “flower” in place. Simply keep adding more slices around and around the bud that you form. It’s very forgiving. Once your clusters are finished, bake for a bit longer, then top the warm tartlets with some extra caramel, and let cool a bit. Serve alongside some vanilla bean ice cream and enjoy!
Salted Caramel Apple Tartlets
Ingredients
- Pastry Dough
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 3/4 cups pastry flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- pinch of salt
- Apple Filling
- 3-4 apples
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 lemon juiced
- 3/4 cup 15-minute salted caramel sauce I added a splash of Applejack brandy
Instructions
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In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and salt. Add the egg, vanilla and almond extract and mix well. Slowly add in the flour and mix until just combined.
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Roll the dough into a ball and place on a sheet of plastic wrap. Flatten the ball into a disc, wrap with the plastic wrap, and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm.
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When ready to use, unwrap your dough and place it on a floured surface. Roll the dough to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Using your tart tins as a guide, cut circles that are about 1 inch wider than the tins. I used a small mixing bowl to make the cut. Press the dough into your tart tin. Pass your rolling pin over the top of the tin to trim the extra dough. Alternatively, you can skip the rolling pin and simply press the dough into your tins (skip the fridge if using this method).
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Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place the tart shells in the freezer for 15 minutes while your oven preheats. Using a fork, poke holes in bottom of the tart shells. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let cool.
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Cut your apples in half lengthwise and remove the core. Using the thinnest setting of a mandolin, slice the apples and place in a microwave safe bowl.
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Combine the sugar and lemon juice, and pour over your apples. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds to slightly soften the apples.
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Cover the bottoms of your tart shells with 1-2 tablespoons of the salted caramel and then begin to roll your apples. I started with one slice, and rolled it into a tight cylinder. I then took additional slices and continued wrapping them around each other until the bundle was about a quarter sized width. I then placed that into carmel coated tart and added more apples, layering the edges. The caramel helps hold the apples in place. Continue until your tart is fully covered.
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Return the tarts to the 350 degree oven and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes.
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Remove from the oven and drizzle with the remaining salted caramel sauce.
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Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream.
Looking for more salted caramel dessert recipes? Try these:
- Butterscotch Bourbon Budino with Salted Caramel
- Salted Caramel Banana Bread with Yogurt
- Salted Caramel Almond Thumbprint Butter Cookies
- Lightened Up Salted Caramel Cookie Skillet
- Salted Caramel Yogurt Popsicles
- Pumpkin Pie with Salted Caramel Sauce
These are seriously adorable! I want them!! Can’t wait to try 🙂
Thanks Melissa – Just checked out your site – The fuming cupid sounds awesome. Enjoy a fab weekend with your CUTE date!
Seriously beautiful. Very impressive and delicious looking!
these are so beautiful, I love them!! Definitely going to try this!
To bad I didn’t see this amazing tartlets before Valentine’s! they are soo cute! Pinned!
Hi, these look beautiful and so tempting. Im wondering wont they get all mushy and collapse after baking?
Hi Farah – The last picture is actually after baking. As you can see, their shape holds up wonderfully and doesn’t get messy/mushy at all. Enjoy!
Thanks so much. will try them today 🙂
These are beyond beautiful. I am not sure I could bring myself to eat one of the tartlets, I’d be too busy staring at it.
Thanks Laura! So pretty, but too good NOT to eat!!!
can these cakes be made in advance and stored?
Hi Norma – Yes, these can be made ahead. The caramel helps to seal everything in. Just cover loosely with plastic wrap. You may want to spray the tops lightly with cooking spray (coconut oil preferred) or stick some toothpicks in the top to keep the plastic wrap from sticking. Enjoy!
Dear Erin,
after long research for a perfect desert to top off my dinner I’ll be cooking for friends, I found this amazing recipe and instantly decided to go for it 🙂
It’ll be a busy Saturday so I’d love to prepare these ahead, Friday if possible. You said it’s possible to store them. I now wondered how to best store them when fully baked and prepared on Friday? I’d like to not store it in the fridge so I wondered if storing in a dark cupboard would be possible? Also, how do I prevent the apples from going brown? Is the lemon juice in the coating enough?
And my last question (promise ;D): i don’t own a microwave. Could I soften the apple slices in a pot, too?
Greetings and thanks in advance!
Hi Julia – What a great dessert to cook for friends! I’m sure they will love these and be super impressed 🙂
If you’d prefer not to store them in the fridge, aim for a spot that’s dark and cool and cover loosely with plastic wrap. The apples should not brown once they are cooked. And definitely feel free to soften those apple slices on the stove – Let me know how it works out! We don’t own a microwave any longer either 😉
These are absolutely gorgeous!
Thanks Megan! They’re super fun to put together – Like an art project, but with food… Yummy food!
Dear Erin, these are the prettiest little tarts I’ve ever seen. I have a mandoline and it’s never occurred to me to use it quite this way, (!) And a splash of applejack brandy? Woo hoo!!! I’m in.
Thanks Allie! These ‘lil tartlets are a bit time consuming, but so cute and yummy! I say go for it!!!
Erin!!! These look adorable!! I’ve pinned them at some point a long time ago. Probably in February when you posted them but had totally forgotten. I’m so glad I bumped into them again with fall and apple season starting soon 🙂
Aawww – Thank you Lorena! I hope you make them and enjoy!!! The salted caramel sauce is beyond!
These tarts look amazing, Erin!! Can’t wait to try my hand at these when apple season comes around!
Thanks Lisa – I hope you enjoy! Let me know how they turn out – I’d love to hear back!
I would love to try these but dont have tart tins. could they be done in a muffin tin?
I think that will work Macy! They’ll just look a little different – Not as wide, but it should be easier to form the “rose”. I’d love to see how they turn out!
These are stunning! I’ve always loved the look of the apple roses in pies but was always too intimidated. I think I could handle these minis!
It’s a fun project to take on Erin! I’d bet kids would love putting these together too!
These are absolutely the prettiest tartlets I have ever seen. 🙂
Thank you Marisa!
Hi! I was wondering what kind of apples I should use. I did a little research, and most websites say to use Granny Smith Apples, but I was wondering if that would make the product sour?
Hi Kes – As the apples bake, they definitely become more sweet. Granny Smith is a great variety to use for this recipe! The caramel sauce adds quite a bit of sweetness at the end too.
These apple tartlets look so yummy! I can’t wait to try these out during the holiday season!
I’ve made these as a pie and it tasted great and looked beautiful. If you microwave,the apple slices until they are bit soft, they are easier to roll. I lined the slices up in a long row.with the slices overlapping and then rolled from one end. Into a large rose.
Meant to add microwave apples in water!
Hi, These are beautiful. Can they be frozen after cooking? They would be perfect for my wedding, but time will be short near the time.
Thanks 🙂
Hi Lyneal – Unfortunately, I wouldn’t suggest freezing these – The apples may lose their texture and shape. If you have time to assemble at the last minute, you could bake and freeze the crusts and then do the assembly the day of, but otherwise I wouldn’t suggest freezing fully assembled. Congratulations on the wedding!
Hi Erin,
Honestly, you’ve shared some amazing recipes here and oh my gosh, I just want ALL of them. I’m totally drooling over here!
Thank you so much Jane!
Hi Erin,
I am looking to make these for my future daughter in-laws bridal shower. These look so pretty and am going to give it a go…What size tart tins did you use?
Hi Christine – My tart tins are 4-inches.
Hi Erin,
Honestly, you’ve shared a really scrumptious apple tart recipe here and oh my gosh I’m totally drooling over it right now!
I hope you enjoy it – Cheers!