An Apple Tart

There is always a chance, in any endeavor, that something will go horribly wrong.  A badly written recipe, poorly described instructions, forgetting to add a vital ingredient - what? You've never done that?  Never been so careless as to simply misplace that last 2 tbsp. of butter or miscount the number of cups of flour?

When Sally first learned of my forgetful nature, she was sympathetic.  Granted, my muttering questions about the location of my cell phone or car keys had no direct impact on her.  But when my minor bouts of amnesia started to intrude on her life (hours stranded in parking lots on cold winter nights searching for the car, Christmas presents in July...) she decided to take a stand.  There would be no forgetfulness around Sally.  Twas simply not allowed.

Unfortunately, it doesn't work like that.  Oh, things certainly got better now that I had an incentive to remember things - breaking a 5 year friendship due to misplaced birthday cards was not too dramatic for Sally - but every now any then, I would have a minor relapse.

Like when it came to this tart.  This gorgeous, delicious, flaky apply tart.  That survived a minor scorching in the oven due to my forgetfulness... good thing I checked on it 15 minutes in, and was able to save most of it.  I'd say "Don't tell Sally!" except she obviously already knows - good thing the apple tart was yummy enough to distract her.

Alice Water's Apple Tart
adapted (more like followed) from here
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
6 tbs. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 1/2 tbs. chilled water
2 pounds apples (I used 4 granny smith), peeled, cored (save the peels and cores), and sliced
2 tbs. unsalted butter, melted
3 tbs. sugar
1/4 cup sugar (glaze)
Directions
1.  Mix flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.  Add 2 tbs. of the butter.  Mix until dough resembles coarse cornmeal.  Add remaining butter and mix until pieces look like large peas.
2.  Pour in some of the water, mix, and then add more until dough just holds together.  Toss with hands until it's ropy with some dry patches.  Keep tossing until you can roll dough into a ball.  Flatten into a 4-inch-thick disk and refrigerate.  Remove after at least 30 minutes and let soften.  Smooth cracks at edges.  Roll out dough into a 14-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface.
3.  Place dough into lightly greased 9-inch round tart pan.  Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
4.  Place apple slices on dough in a ring, continue inward until reaching the center.  Fold the dough hanging off the edge of the pan onto itself and crimp edges at 1 inch intervals.
5.  Brush melted butter over apples and onto dough edge.  Sprinkle 3 tablespoons sugar over dough edge and apples.  Place tart in oven until edges brown (about 45 minutes, make sure to rotate tart every 15 minutes).
6.  Meanwhile, make the glaze by putting apple peels and cores in saucepan with 1/4 cup sugar.  Pour in just enough water to cover, and simmer for 30-45 minutes.  Strain syrup through cheesecloth.
7.  Remove tart from oven, let cool for 15 minutes.  Brush glaze over tart, then slice and serve.