Salted Caramel Apple Crumble Tart

1. Brown the butter for the crust.

Add 170 g (¾ cup) butter to a light-colored saucepan over medium heat.

Cook, swirling occasionally, until the butter foams and the milk solids become golden brown and smell toasted and nutty.

Immediately remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

2. Make the tart crust.

Combine the flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a bowl.

Add the browned butter, egg yolk, and vanilla bean paste. Mix just until a soft dough forms.

Transfer the dough to a 9-inch tart pan and use your fingers to evenly form it across the bottom and up the sides.

No kneading, rolling, or food processor required.

Chill the crust while preparing the remaining components.

3. Prepare and divide the apples.

Peel and core 3–4 large apples until you have approximately 700 g prepared apples.

Before adding any sugar, cinnamon, lemon, or other ingredients, divide the apples.

For the decorative top: Thinly slice 200 g (about 1½ cups) of the apples and set them aside completely plain. Do not add these apples to the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

For the filling: Slice the remaining 500 g (about 4 cups) of apples and place them in a separate bowl.

Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, vanilla bean paste, lemon juice, and salt only to the 500 g of filling apples.

Toss until evenly coated and set aside.

4. Make the brown butter crumble.

Combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

Add the browned butter and mix until crumbly clusters form.

Set aside.

5. Make the La Vita Bianca Classic Salted Caramel.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.

Add the brown sugar and heavy cream and whisk until smooth.

Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat slightly and cook for 3–4 minutes, whisking occasionally, until the caramel looks smooth, glossy, and slightly thickened.

Remove from the heat and stir in the sea salt and vanilla bean paste.

Allow to cool for 10–15 minutes. The caramel will continue to thicken as it cools.

Using store-bought caramel? Skip this step and continue with assembly.

6. Assemble the tart.

Spread 90–100 g (about ⅓ cup) of salted caramel evenly over the bottom of the tart crust.

Add the 500 g of seasoned cinnamon apples and spread them evenly over the caramel.

Scatter approximately half of the brown butter crumble over the filling.

Arrange the reserved 200 g of plain, thinly sliced apples in overlapping concentric circles in the center of the tart.

Lightly brush the exposed raw apple slices with melted butter before baking. Do not skip this step. Because these slices aren’t coated in the filling mixture and remain exposed in the oven, the butter keeps them tender and prevents the thin edges from drying out or burning.

Scatter the remaining crumble around the perimeter of the apple spiral.

7. Bake.

Bake at 350°F for 45–55 minutes, until the apples are tender and the crust and crumble are golden brown.

8. Finish the apple spiral.

While the tart is still warm, stir together 15 g (1 tbsp) maple syrup and 10 g (about 2 tsp) salted caramel.

Lightly brush the mixture over the exposed apple spiral for a glossy finish.

Finish with a small pinch of flaky sea salt.

Allow the tart to cool before slicing.

9. Make the vanilla bean mascarpone.

Combine the mascarpone, heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, and salt.

Whip until smooth and creamy and the mixture holds soft peaks. Be careful not to overwhip.

Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

10. Serve.

Serve each slice with vanilla bean mascarpone and an extra drizzle of salted caramel.

Recipe Notes

Divide the apples before seasoning. Once you have 700 g of peeled and cored apples, immediately set aside 200 g completely plain for the decorative top. Only the remaining 500 g get tossed with the cinnamon filling ingredients.

Don’t skip the butter on the decorative apples. Because the thin apple slices remain exposed during baking, brushing them lightly with melted butter keeps them tender and prevents their edges from drying out or burning.

Homemade or store-bought caramel both work. I use my La Vita Bianca Classic Salted Caramel because I love its rich, buttery flavor, but this recipe is meant to be approachable. If you want to save a step, use your favorite good-quality store-bought salted caramel.

Use a mix of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith. Honeycrisp adds sweetness and texture, while Granny Smith adds tartness to balance the caramel.

Don’t overcook the homemade caramel. It will look looser while hot and continue to thicken as it cools.

Need a thinner drizzle? Gently warm the caramel. If needed, stir in a small splash of heavy cream until it reaches your desired consistency.

Let the tart cool before slicing. Giving the filling and caramel time to settle will give you cleaner slices.

Keep the mascarpone cold. Refrigerate until serving for the perfect cool, creamy contrast to the tart.