Irish Apple Amber Tart (Printable Version)

Tender apples and golden meringue baked in a crisp pastry shell with sweet and tangy flavors.

# What You Need:

→ Pastry

01 - 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
02 - ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
03 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar
04 - Pinch of salt
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 2–3 tbsp cold water

→ Apple Filling

07 - 5 large tart apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
08 - ¾ cup granulated sugar
09 - 1 lemon, zested and juiced
10 - 2 tbsp water
11 - 2 large egg yolks
12 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter

→ Meringue

13 - 4 large egg whites
14 - ¾ cup superfine sugar
15 - ½ tsp cream of tartar

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Rub in cold butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg yolk and 2 tablespoons water, mixing until dough just comes together. Add an extra tablespoon of water if needed. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
02 - Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface and line a 9-inch tart pan. Trim excess pastry and prick the base with a fork. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
03 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line pastry with parchment and fill with pie weights. Blind bake for 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment, then bake for another 8–10 minutes until golden. Cool slightly.
04 - Combine apples, sugar, lemon zest, juice, and water in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until apples are very soft and most liquid has evaporated, about 10–12 minutes.
05 - Remove from heat and stir in butter. Beat egg yolks and quickly stir into the warm apple mixture to prevent scrambling. Spoon filling into the prepared pastry case and smooth the surface.
06 - Whisk egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, whisking until stiff, glossy peaks form.
07 - Spread meringue over apple filling, swirling decoratively and ensuring it touches the pastry edge to seal. Bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes until meringue is golden. Cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The meringue creates this incredible marshmallowy pillow that slowly melts into the tangy apple layer underneath
  • Theres something deeply satisfying about how such humble ingredients transform into something showstopping
02 -
  • The apple filling needs to be hot when you add the meringuethis helps cook the bottom of the meringue slightly and prevents weeping
  • Any gap between meringue and pastry will cause the meringue to shrink away from the edges during baking
03 -
  • Use a glass bowl for whipping meringueplastic can retain hidden oils that prevent proper volume
  • If your meringue starts weeping, next time try adding the sugar more gradually and whipping longer for better stability

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