Walnut Baklava Apple Tart
This hybrid dessert combines elements from a classic apple tart with a traditional walnut bakalva to make a unique, best-of-both-worlds seasonal showstopper. The apple butter and “honey” soak can be made several days ahead to streamline the baking process, and the whole dessert tastes best when assembled 6 - 24 hours before serving. If walnuts aren’t your favorite, feel free to try out another nut or seed in its place; and pears substitute beautifully for apples in almost any application.
NOTE: This recipe is written for an 8” square pan. If using a 9” x 13” pan instead, the only adjustment that needs to be made is increasing the walnut filling by 50%.
Instructions
To make the apple butter: Combine all ingredients through the fresh ginger in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to maintain low simmer. Cook until the apples are extremely soft. Turn off the heat, add spices and salt, and allow to cool. Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
To make the “honey” syrup: Combine honey, sugar, and water in a small saucepan and heat until sugar dissolves. Turn off heat and add remaining ingredients. Cover and allow to cool to room temperature, then transfer to refrigerator. Allow to steep for at least 6 hours. Do not strain until ready to use.
To make the walnut filling (right before assembly): Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until walnuts are in ¼” or smaller pieces. Add honey syrup one tablespoon at a time until the mixture is moistened and sticky — two tablespoons should work well for the standard recipe, or three tablespoons if sizing up the pan.
To assemble the tart: Brush baking dish with melted butter. Things have to happen pretty quickly from this point forward! Remove phyllo dough from its packaging and lay flat under a wet kitchen towel to slow its drying. Working as quickly as you can, create the following layers in your baking dish:
2 sheets phyllo dough, brush with butter → repeat 3x
30% of the walnut mixture, pressed into an even layer
1 sheet phyllo dough, brush with butter —> repeat 3x
30% of the walnut mixture, pressed into an even layer
1 sheet phyllo dough, brush with butter —> repeat 3x
30% of the walnut mixture, pressed into an even layer
2 sheets phyllo dough, brush with butter → repeat 3x
Use remaining 10% of walnut mixture to create whatever raised pastry pattern you desire on the surface of the tart. I’ve done a plus sign and single diagonal line with equal success.
Using strips of phyllo cut to the proper size for your raised pastry pattern: 2 strips phyllo dough, brush with butter → repeat 3x
Now that the phyllo has all been placed, you can take your time a bit. Spread the apple butter in a generous layer across the top of the baklava, avoiding the raised pastry pattern. Cover the baking dish and refrigerate 1 hour.
Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Remove the tart from the refrigerator and use a sharp paring knife to pierce the baklava in many locations. This is where the honey soak will penetrate the phyllo layers. If you prefer a more tart-like dessert (aka crispier crust), create fewer holes — stick to making a pretty pattern with punctures on the raised pastry. If you prefer a more baklava-like dessert (aka sticky base layers), you can add holes down through the apple butter itself. They will be covered visually by apples soon, but will allow more access points for syrup after baking.
Cut apples to ⅛” slices, keeping slices stuck together to avoid browning and allow for attractive arrangement. * Fan the apple slices out as desired across the apple butter, making sure to pack them in tightly against one another to avoid blank spots after they shrink in the oven.
Combine the remaining melted butter with lemon juice and one tablespoon of honey soak, and brush the apples and exposed pastry. Sprinkle exposed pastry with raw sugar and flaked salt. Bake for 50-60 minutes until apples are visibly tender and phyllo is deeply golden.
Remove tart from the oven and use paring knife to gently re-open the slits created before baking. If the more baklava-like base texture is desired, also run the knife around the edges of the pan. While the dessert is hot, pour the honey soak syrup over the top. Again, if a crisper crust is desired, be careful to only pour the syrup over the exposed pastry designs; if a stickier crust is desired, generously flood the exposed pastry and edges of the tart with syrup, then use oven mitts to tip the pan around and spread the syrup within the base layer. More syrup can be added as the initial quantity soaks in.
Allow the tart to cool to room temperature before slicing and serving. It will keep, covered, at room temperature for several days.
*Claire Saffitz has a great video explaining this technique on her Dessert Person YouTube channel.
Ingredients
Bourbon Apple Butter
2 sweet apples (I prefer honey crisp)
2 tart apples (I prefer granny smith)
2 T lemon juice
1 T water
3 oz bourbon
1.5 T molasses
3 T dark brown sugar, packed
1 t fresh grated ginger (or ¼ t ground ginger)
½ t ground cinnamon
¼ t grated nutmeg
⅛ t ground cloves
⅛ t ground allspice
⅛ t salt
“Honey” Soak
½ C vegan honey (or light agave syrup)
½ C granulated sugar
½ C water
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
1 star anise
½ lemon, sliced
Optional: Pinch dried hibiscus
Walnut Filling
4 C walnuts
6 T light brown sugar, packed
1 t ground cinnamon
½ t ground nutmeg
1 t salt
Assembly
1 box frozen phyllo dough (check for vegan friendly ingredients), thawed
1.5 C unsalted butter, melted
½ lemon, juiced
4 apples (I prefer 2 each honeycrisp and granny smith for a variety of flavor and color)
Raw sugar (or granulated sugar)
Optional: Flaked salt
