You can just feel and smell when Fall is getting closer. Still warm days, but the evenings are pleasantly cooler. When the leaves start to turn and fall from the trees, I always have a desire to add a little more comfort to my cooking and use flavors and ingredients that define the season.
A friend who works for Musselman's gifted me a jar of Apple Butter that I have been itching to pair with our Cranberry Spice granola. Recipe inspiration struck and the season has arrived. To celebrate the eve of Autumn...a Shortbread Apple Butter and Cranberry Spice Tart is on the table.
Shortbread Apple Butter and Cranberry Spice Tart
yield: 1 10-inch tart
ingredients
8 ounces butter, room temperature (2 sticks)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla bean paste
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup almond flour
¾ cup apple butter (Musselman's brand, or comparable)
1 cup Cranberry Spice For Good Granola, divided
method Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 325 degrees. Spray a 10-inch tart pan with baking spray or butter.
To the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter and sugar on medium speed. Add vanilla bean paste and salt and mix until combined. Add the all-purpose and almond flours and continue to mix until flour is incorporated and dough is formed.
Press one half of dough into bottom and up sides of tart pan. Using a fork, make several pricks on bottom and up sides of dough. This will allow steam to escape during initial baking of crust. Cover the other half of the dough in the bowl with plastic wrap and store in fridge while crust par-bakes.
Place tart pan on rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, until crust is just beginning to firm and slightly pale golden brown on edges. Remove tart from oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
While crust is resting, mix 3/4 cup Cranberry Spice granola in to remaining half of shortbread dough. Spread apple butter evenly over the crust, leaving a ¼-inch border around the edge. Break off teaspoon size pieces of granola dough mixture and scatter evenly over apple butter. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Cranberry Spice granola on top before returning tart to oven. Bake tart until crust is golden brown and firm, about 25-30 more minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool.