Salted Caramel Apple Tart (Printable)

Buttery crust and spiced apples drizzled with rich salted caramel for a delicious indulgence.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Tart Crust

01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and diced
03 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
04 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water

→ Spiced Apple Filling

07 - 5 medium apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
08 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1/4 cup light brown sugar
10 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
12 - 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
14 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Salted Caramel Sauce

15 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
16 - 3 tablespoons water
17 - 1/4 cup heavy cream
18 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
19 - 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus additional for topping

# Directions:

01 - In a food processor, pulse flour, powdered sugar, and fine sea salt. Add cold diced butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and 2 tablespoons ice water, then pulse until dough just forms. Add additional water if needed. Shape dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
02 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out chilled dough on a lightly floured surface and fit into a 9-inch tart pan. Trim excess dough. Prick base with a fork. Line with parchment paper and fill with baking weights or dried beans.
03 - Blind bake crust for 15 minutes. Carefully remove weights and parchment paper. Bake for an additional 8 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, toss sliced apples with granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and lemon juice until evenly coated. In a skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add apple mixture and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until tender but not mushy. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
05 - In a medium saucepan, combine 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons water. Cook over medium heat without stirring until deep amber color forms, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully whisk in heavy cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Add butter and sea salt, then whisk until smooth. Cool for several minutes.
06 - Arrange cooled spiced apples evenly in the cooled tart crust. Drizzle approximately half of the salted caramel sauce over the apples.
07 - Bake assembled tart at 350°F for 20 minutes until apples are bubbling and crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
08 - Drizzle tart with remaining caramel sauce and sprinkle with additional flaky sea salt. Serve warm or at room temperature, optionally with vanilla ice cream.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Homemade caramel: Store-bought versions can't compete with the deep, rich flavor you get when you make it yourself, and the smell alone is worth the five minutes it takes.
  • The salt-sweet balance: That flaky sea salt on top isn't just pretty, it transforms the whole dessert into something complex and crave-worthy.
  • It looks like you spent all day: People genuinely cannot believe how achievable this is, and your confidence will soar when they ask for the recipe.
02 -
  • Don't skip the ice water: I learned this the hard way when I used room-temperature water and ended up with a crust that baked up tough and dense instead of light and flaky.
  • Watch your caramel like a hawk: The difference between a perfect deep amber and burnt is literally 30 seconds, and burnt caramel tastes bitter no matter how much salt you add.
  • Cream must be room temperature: Adding cold cream to hot caramel can cause it to seize up into clumpy bits, and there's no coming back from that.
03 -
  • Keep your dough cold throughout: Work quickly, use a cold surface if possible, and don't hesitate to pop the rolled-out dough back in the fridge for 5 minutes if it feels warm to the touch.
  • The caramel will continue to thicken slightly as it cools: If it seems too runny, wait a few minutes before serving rather than cooking it further and risking burning.
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