Honestly, how many people actually make pies from scratch? With all the time constraints these days, it is just seems easier to buy a pie.  Sometimes the flavor disappoints and the crust is lacking flakiness. My answer: forget the stress of perfecting pie and make this luscious and beautiful tart that is so easy to make in minutes by hand or in a food processor. No rolling, no tearing and no swearing!

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Apple Cream Tart

INGREDIENTS

Tart Crust

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 stick frozen, unsalted butter

Tart Filling

4 medium size Cortland apples, peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 egg yolks

1-cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400F. Combine the flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, salt and baking powder in a food processor.  Grate the frozen butter on a stand cheese grater over the largest holes; add to the flour mixture and pulse several times until the mixture looks loose and powdery.

Dump the mixture into a 9-inch lightly greased fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Pat the mixture evenly into the pan and up the sides and set aside.

Arrange the apples slices on top of the crust in an overlapping pattern filling in the entire surface.

Combine the remaining sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a small bowl and sprinkle it evenly over the apple slices.

Place the tart on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl with the heavy cream. Pour evenly over the apples and bake 30 minutes longer or until the top is golden brown.

Remove the tart from the oven and cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve warm. Serves 6 to 8

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