Warm Apple Tartlets with Maple Walnut Ice Cream
These warm Apple Tartlets with Maple Walnut Ice Cream are a customizable and cozy Autumn Dessert that Celebrates Harvest Season
Indulge in the flavors of Fall with these warm apple tartlets—flaky puff pastry filled with spiced apples and topped with creamy maple walnut ice cream, caramel drizzle, and a delicate candied walnut garnish.
When Fall comes around, I can’t help but think of using apples for an Autumn dessert. They’re ripe for the picking at local New England orchards; we have multiple varieties of apples available year-round and local selections available seasonally. This tartlet is an easy yet elegant dessert, and one of my go-to’s this time of year. Warm apples pie-style nestled in a buttery puff pastry shell and topped with maple walnut ice cream, candied walnuts, caramel drizzle, and fresh mint. Here’s the recipe to go along with the video on how to make it!
Makes 16 tarts:
Crust:
- 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
- ¼ cup melted butter
- ½ cup raw sugar
Brush pastry with melted butter, then sprinkle with sugar. Cut each sheet into 8 rectangles. With a small knife, score ¼ inch around each rectangle. Place onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, then bake for 15-17 minutes until golden and crisp. Once removed and still warm, press down the inner rectangle of the tart to make an indent for the apple filling.
Filling:
- 8 medium apples, peeled and diced
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup butter
- ¾ cup water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Combine everything, except the cornstarch and additional water, in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat for 10 minutes until apples are tender. Make a slurry with cornstarch and water, then add to the pot and stir for 2 minutes until thickened. Scoop filling into prepared tart shells.
Ice Cream:
- 6 cups vanilla ice cream
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup maple syrup
Soften ice cream at room temperature for an hour. Place in a bowl, add the remaining ingredients, and stir well. Refreeze overnight.
Candied Walnuts:
- Whole walnuts
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup water
Poke a toothpick sideways through each walnut and set aside for dipping. Simmer sugar and water until it just turns a light amber color. Holding the toothpick, dip and carefully submerge the walnut in candied sugar. Poke holes in a box and place the toothpick through, allowing the sugar to drizzle down to create a long sugar stem. This mixture is really hot and sticky, so be careful!