Apple Tart with Chai-Spiced Custard Sauce

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This apple custard tart is easily baked with store-bought puff pastry and is drizzled with a delicious chai spice-infused custard sauce. The sauce goes perfectly with the flaky crust and makes this dessert a wonderful fall or winter afternoon treat.

An apple tart drizzled with custard sauce on a wooden table in a fall afternoon setting.

This post was originally published on Oct. 15, 2015.

How to make chai-spiced custard sauce:

Step 1. Add 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 whole cloves, 1 thinly sliced half-inch piece of fresh ginger, 1/2 teaspoon cardamom seeds and 1 teaspoon black peppercorns to a saucepan. Stirring continuously, bring the mix to a simmer, then turn the heat off, cover and let steep for 30 minutes.

Step 2. Strain out the spices.

A small saucepan with cream and chai spices and a liquid measuring cup with cream.

Step 3. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk 3 egg yolks together.

Step 4. Whisk in the cream mix.

Step by step photos of how to make custard sauce: egg yolks being whisked together and custard being whisked in a mixing bowl.

Step 5. Pour the custard back into the saucepan.

Step 6. Heat the custard on medium-low heat, stirring continuously, until it has thickened and is coating the back of a wooden spoon (about 4 minutes). Let cool.

RECIPE NOTE: You may end up with a few clumps in the sauce. If so, just strain it before serving.

A small saucepan with custard sauce being stirred with a wooden spoon.

How to make the apple tart:

For the tart, there’s no need to go through the trouble of making a crust yourself, instead you simply use a sheet of store-bought puff pastry. (You will need to thaw the sheet for about 40 minutes before you can use it, so be sure to plan for that).

Step 1. Start with 2 Granny Smith apples.

Step 2. Peel, core and slice the apples.

Two whole Granny Smith apples and peeled and sliced apples in a bowl on a marble kitchen counter.

 Step 3. In a saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter.

Step 4. Cook the apple slices in the butter until they are tender (5 to 7 minutes).

Step by step photos of how to cook apples: a saucepan with melter butter and a saucepan with apple slices cooked in butter.

Step 5. In a bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon corn starch.

Step 6. Toss the cooked apple slices in the sugar/corn starch mix until they are evenly coated.

Step by step photos of how to thicken apple tart filling: sugar and corn starch being whisked together and cooked apple slices tossed in the sugar and corn starch mix.

Step 7. Cut a 9-inch round out of the puff pastry sheet and either lay it into a 9-inch round tart pan or lay it on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Step 8. Lay the apple slices on the puff pastry and bake the tart at 400 degrees F. until golden-brown (20 to 25 minutes).

A tart pan with raw puff pastry and the same tart pan with apple slices arranged in a spiral pattern on top of the puff pastry.

More delicious fruit desserts:

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An apple tart drizzled with custard sauce on a wooden table in a fall afternoon setting.
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5 from 3 votes

Apple Tart with Chai-Spiced Custard Sauce

This apple custard tart is easily baked with store-bought puff pastry and is drizzled with a delicious chai spice-infused custard sauce. The sauce goes perfectly with the flaky crust and makes this dessert a wonderful fall or winter afternoon treat.
Prep Time:10 mins
Cook Time:1 hr 20 mins
Total Time:1 hr 30 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apple custard tart, apple tart, chai-spiced custard
Servings: 6
Calories (estimated): 212kcal
Author: Nicole Branan

Ingredients:

For the custard sauce:

  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 1 half-inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon cardamom seeds
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 3 egg yolks

For the apple tarts:

  • 1 puff pastry sheet, thawed
  • 2 Granny Smith apples
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon corn starch

Instructions:

For the custard sauce:

  • Add milk, cream, sugar and spices to a saucepan and bring to simmer, stirring continuously.
  • Turn the heat off, cover and let sit for 30 minutes.
  • Strain out the spices.
  • Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl, then whisk in the milk/cream mix.
  • Transfer the mix back into the saucepan and, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, heat the custard on medium-low heat until it has thickened and is coating the back of the spoon (about 4 minutes). Be careful not to let the custard boil.*

For the apple tarts:

  • Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Peel, core, quarter and slice the apples.
  • Melt the butter in a pan, then add the apple slices and cook them until they are tender (5 to 7 minutes).
  • Mix the sugar and the corn starch in a bowl, then add the apples to the bowl and mix around until they are evenly coated.
  • Cut a 9-inch round out of the puff pastry and either lay it into a greased tart pan with removable bottom or lay it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  • Distribute the apple slices on the dough.
  • Bake the tart until it is golden-brown (25-30 minutes).
  • Serve the tart with the sauce.

Notes:

*If you end up with a few small clumps in the sauce, strain it before serving.

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An apple tart drizzled with custard sauce on a wooden table in a fall afternoon setting.

19 comments

  3. Shinee says:

    Aww, this tart looks and sounds so cozy, Nicole. I love the spices!! We have yet to get our first snow here in ND, but I’m sure it’ll be here any day now. For now, it’s just rainy. I’ll sure be making this tart soon enough, snow or not!

    Reply
    • Nicole B. says:

      Thank you so much, Kathleen! I honestly really love that sauce too and I think I’ll come up with more recipe to use it in. I actually ate the rest of it earlier straight and even that was delicious! :)

      Reply
    • Nicole B. says:

      At first I thought I wasn’t ready for snow yet either but then I ended up liking it. The nice thing about Colorado is that cold snaps never last that long, it was warm and sunny again this weekend. :)

      Reply

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