Honeycrisp Apple Tarts with Puff Pastry & Cheddar
Golden, wonderfully crisp, savoury apple tarts with puff pastry meet warm, herb-butter-roasted Honeycrisp slices in these elegant individual appetizers. Sweet, tender fruit takes center stage here, balanced by rich aged cheddar, jammy fig, and toasted walnuts in every bite. Serve them hot alongside a peppery arugula salad for a polished dinner party starter, feature them on an autumn brunch table, or pair them with a glass of crisp dry cider for casual holiday entertaining.
Ingredients
➡️Note on Scaling the Recipe: When scaling to 2X or 3X, the light grey ingredient notes and the instructions remain unchanged. Please adjust as needed.
Hasselback Apples
- 4 medium-small Ontario Honeycrisp apples approximately 5 oz to 6 oz (140 g to 170 g) each
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter 30 ml, melted
- 2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves 10 ml, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 1 ¼ ml
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Tarts
- 2 sheets all-butter puff pastry about 1 lb total (450 g), thawed but cold
- 3½ oz aged white cheddar 100 g, finely grated
- 8 teaspoon thick fig preserves 40 ml, approximately 1 teaspoon (5 ml) per tart
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water 15 ml
- ¼ cup walnuts 60 ml, roughly chopped
To Finish
- Fresh thyme leaves
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Flaky salt optional
- Maple syrup or hot honey optional
Instructions
Preheat & Prep Your Oven
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) convection or 425°F (220°C) conventional. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Prepare the Honeycrisp Apples
- Slice and Core: Cut each Honeycrisp vertically in half through the stem to create 8 apple halves. Using a melon baller or small spoon, carefully remove the core from each half, creating a neat channel while keeping the rest of the apple intact.
- Hassleback the Apples: Place an apple half cut-side down, between two chopsticks or wooden spoon handles. Slice crosswise, perpendicular to the core channel, working from the stem end down toward the bottom of the apple. Make parallel crosswise cuts approximately ⅛ inch (3 mm) apart, stopping about ¼ inch (6 mm) from the bottom so the slices stay connected at the base. Repeat with the remaining apple halves. Do not manually force the slices open; they will relax and fan out naturally in the heat.
Partially Roast the Apples
- In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, thyme, salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Brush the mixture thoroughly over the apples, working some between the sliced cuts using a knife to help slightly open the slices.
- Arrange the apples cut-side down on the prepared sheet pan. Roast for 10 to 13 minutes, checking at the 10-minute mark. The apples are ready for the next stage when the Hasselback cuts begin to relax, but the fruit remains firm to the touch.
Why Par-Roast the Apples First? Apples contain a high volume of water. Slicing and par-roasting them cut-side down evaporates surface moisture and begins the tenderizing process. Cooling them completely before placing them on puff pastry ensures the pastry fat stays cold, yielding maximum lift and a crisp bottom crust.
Cool Completely
- Transfer the apple halves to a wire rack or plate. Let cool at room temperature for 15 minutes, then refrigerate uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes. The apples must be completely cold before assembling on the puff pastry.
Cut Pastry Circles
- Unroll the cold puff pastry on parchment paper or a lightly floured surface. Lightly roll out any packing wrinkles with a rolling pin.
- Place one cooled apple half on the pastry to gauge the correct circle size. Aim for ½ inch to ¾ inch (13 mm to 19 mm) of exposed pastry surrounding the apple footprint. Cut 8 equal pastry circles using a round cookie cutter or knife (see Tips below for cutter-free alternatives). Transfer the circles onto parchment-lined baking sheets.
Score & Dock the Pastry
- Using the tip of a sharp paring knife, lightly score a border ½ inch (13 mm) inside the edge of each circle without cutting through the pastry.
- Temporarily place an apple half in the center of each circle to identify its footprint, then remove it. Use a fork to dock (prick) only the inner area directly underneath the apple. Do not dock the scored outer border. Return the pastry to the refrigerator if it softens.
Assemble the Cheese and Fig Preserves
- Divide the grated cheddar. Spread 3 oz / 80 g evenly among the eight pastry circles within the docked footprint, leaving the scored border clean. Reserve the remaining ½ oz (20 g) cheddar for the final bake step.
- Inspect the underside of each cooled apple half and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Spoon 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of thick fig preserves directly into the cored channel of each apple half. Place one filled apple half cut-side down over the cheddar on each pastry circle.
Egg Wash, Chill & Bake
- Whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water. Lightly brush the exposed outer pastry border with the egg wash.
- Chill the assembled tarts in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes until cold and firm. Increase or adjust your oven temperature to 425°F (220°C) convection.
- Slide the sheet pans into the oven and bake for 12 minutes uninterrupted. Once the outer borders are puffed and turning light golden, quickly open the oven. Sprinkle the reserved cheddar over the borders and onto the sliced apple tops, and scatter the chopped walnuts across the tarts.
- Rotate the sheet pans and bake for an additional 6 to 9 minutes (18 to 21 minutes total bake time). The tarts are done when the pastry is deeply golden, the bottoms are crisp, the cheese is melted and bubbling, and the apples are tender when pierced with a paring knife.
Rest & Serve
- Transfer the tarts to a wire cooling rack immediately and rest for 3 to 5 minutes to let trapped steam escape, preserving crisp bottoms. Finish with fresh thyme, freshly ground black pepper, and optional flaky salt or a drizzle of hot honey. Serve warm.
💬Tried this Recipe?
- We'd really appreciate a rating and a quick review! It helps more home cooks find the recipe, and we love hearing what you think.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!