Apple tart with apple sauce in the Air Fryer
German-inspired Apfeltorte mit Apfelmus with a crisp shortcrust base, a fruity middle of spiced apple sauce and a golden, crunchy crumble topping with flaked almonds. The air fryer bakes the tart faster than the oven and gives it an extra crisp surface.
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Springform 18 cm
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Bagepapir (til airfryer)
Ingredients
Crisp shortcrust base
- 150 g plain flour
- 75 g butter Cold, diced
- 50 g sugar
- 1 pcs egg yolk
1 pinch salt
Apple sauce filling
- 300 g apple sauce Unsweetened or lightly sweetened
- 2 pcs apples E.g. Belle de Boskoop or Cox's Orange Pippin
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp cornflour
Crunchy crumble topping
- 75 g plain flour
- 50 g butter Cold, diced
- 40 g cane sugar
- 25 g flaked almonds
Instructions
Shortcrust base
- Put 150 g plain flour, 75 g butter, 50 g sugar and 1 pinch salt in a mixing bowl and rub it together with your fingertips until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Add 1 pcs egg yolk and quickly bring the dough together. Knead only until it just holds together.
- Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap it in cling film and chill it for 30 minutes. The cold dough is the key to a crisp base that doesn't shrink during baking.
- Line the base of an 18 cm springform tin with baking paper. Press the dough out in an even layer over the base and about 2 cm up the side. Prick the base several times with a fork so it doesn't puff up.
Filling and crumble topping
- Stir 300 g apple sauce together with 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tbsp cornflour. The cornflour binds the moisture so the middle turns creamy instead of watery.
- Peel 2 pcs apples, remove the core and cut them into thin wedges of about 3-4 mm. Wedges that thin become tender at the same time as the tart and sit neatly on top.
- Rub 75 g plain flour, 50 g butter and 40 g cane sugar together into coarse crumbs, then finally fold in 25 g flaked almonds. They are what give the crunchy surface.
Baking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 160 °C fan.
- Put the springform tin in the basket and pre-bake the base for 10 minutes at 160 °C, until the surface is just dry. The pre-baking is what keeps the base crisp under the moist filling.
- Spread the apple sauce mixture in an even layer over the pre-baked base and arrange the apple wedges on top in a circle with a slight overlap.
- Scatter the crumble topping evenly over the apples. Don't press it down — it needs to sit loosely to become really crisp.
- Bake the tart for 25 minutes at 160 °C, until the top is golden brown and the filling bubbles gently around the edge. Check after 15 minutes and lay a piece of baking paper loosely over the top if the flaked almonds are colouring too quickly.
Serving
- Let the tart cool for at least 20 minutes in the tin before you release the side of the tin. The filling sets as it cools, so the slices can be cut cleanly.
- Serve the tart warm with lightly whipped cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of crème fraîche.
Notes
Tips for a perfect result:
Cold dough and a pre-baked base are what keep the shortcrust crisp under the moist apple sauce. Don't skip either of them. Extra crunchy surface:
Give the tart a final 3-4 minutes at 180 °C if the crumble topping hasn't taken on enough colour. Keep an eye on it — flaked almonds burn quickly. Variation:
Fold a tablespoon of chopped walnuts or a little grated marzipan into the crumble topping, or swap the apple sauce for pear compote. Serving:
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, lightly whipped cream or crème fraîche. A cup of coffee alongside turns it into a classic afternoon treat. Portion size:
An 18 cm springform tin fits in most air fryers. If your air fryer has a smaller basket, use a 15 cm tin and extend the baking time by 3-5 minutes.
Cold dough and a pre-baked base are what keep the shortcrust crisp under the moist apple sauce. Don't skip either of them. Extra crunchy surface:
Give the tart a final 3-4 minutes at 180 °C if the crumble topping hasn't taken on enough colour. Keep an eye on it — flaked almonds burn quickly. Variation:
Fold a tablespoon of chopped walnuts or a little grated marzipan into the crumble topping, or swap the apple sauce for pear compote. Serving:
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, lightly whipped cream or crème fraîche. A cup of coffee alongside turns it into a classic afternoon treat. Portion size:
An 18 cm springform tin fits in most air fryers. If your air fryer has a smaller basket, use a 15 cm tin and extend the baking time by 3-5 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 660kcalCarbohydrates: 85gProtein: 8gFat: 31gSaturated fat: 17gPolyunsaturated fat: 2gMonounsaturated fat: 8gTrans fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 50mgPotassium: 215mgFiber: 4gSugar: 40gVitamin A: 700IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 1mgNet carbohydrates: 81g
