Rose Apple Pie Recipe
This dessert is a real crowd-pleaser with a delicious bouquet of gorgeous red apple roses, rich creamy custard and crisp pecan pastry. It’s beautiful enough to take centre place on a Christmas dessert buffet … but why wait when you could share it over afternoon tea with old friends. We’ve just returned from a short trip to Melbourne, where we spent several days eating delicious food, swimming in the backyard pool and swapping stories with some of our closest friends. The afternoons drifted by so easily. Nobody dressed to impress, the kids forgot about their iPads and the conversation (and laughs) just flowed. I guess it’s true what they say – the simple things in life are often the best.
One of the challenges I faced with this recipe was how to keep the red colour of the apples because when heated they turned brown. Watch the video above to find out the secret to softening apples, as if they are cooked, without heating them. You’ll be surprised.
To make the red rose apple tart you will need:
Pastry
250g (8.82 ounces) or 1 1/2 cups plus 1 Tbsp plain or all purpose flour
125g (4.41 ounces) or 1/2 cup plus one Tablespoon unsalted butter
100g (3.53 ounces) or 1/2 cup caster sugar
60g (2.12 ounces) or ½ cup pecan nuts processed until fine (optional)
1 egg
Rub butter into flour, add pecans and sugar, add egg. Roll out thinly between two sheets of plastic wrap.
Line the pie dish with the pastry. Bake in the oven until crisp.
Jam Glaze
80g (2.82 ounces) or ¼ cup jam (jelly if you are in the USA)
1 Tablespoon water
Heat in a saucepan, strain through fine sieve, brush onto base using a pastry brush.
Custard
200millilitres (6.76 fluid ounces) or 3/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp milk (4% fat)
60g (2.12 ounces) or 4 egg yolks
37g (1.31 ounces) or 3 Tbsp caster (super fine) sugar
14g (0.49 ounces) or 2 Tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
100millilitres (3.38 fluid ounces) cream (35% fat)
vanilla to taste
Whisk together the yolks, sugar and cornstarch and a little milk. Heat remaining milk on stovetop and bring to the boil. Add in slurry and boil to thicken. Stir in cream and vanilla.
Red Apple Roses
16 red apples – look for large and red all over
125millilitres (4.23 fluid ounces) or ½ cup fresh orange juice
105g (3.7 ounces) or ½ cup sugar
110g (3.88 ounces) or ½ cup melted butter
Slice apples with mandolin, place in bowl with sugar butter and orange juice mixture. Leave to soak for 10 minutes.
Assemble the rose apple tart as shown in the video.
by Ann Reardon
My Cookbook
Stores that sell my book listed by country:
http://bit.ly/ARcookbook
All recipe quantities in the book are in grams, ounces and cups.
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hi! just wondering…can u cook the tart in the oven without changing the texture of the custard???
Hi Tuscany, only the pastry is baked int eh oven for this recipe not the custard. But if you wanted to bake it this custard would be OK, because it has cornstarch in it it won’t split.
This look really nice I am trying it tomorrow,
thank you for the recipes.
I notice one of the comments said the taste was disappointing….could/would you add vanilla to the custard to strengthen the custard flavor or is that a bad idea? Also, what do you think of adding a bourbon whipped cream as a garnish?
Hi Julia, It is really up to your personal taste. If you are use to the commercial custards with th artificial flavouring and sweetening, then home made custard may seem a little bland. Personally I love a little vanilla in my custard. I haven’t tried a Boubon whipped cream but I imagine the adults will love it!
Hi, I fell in love with initially the look of this (of course) and didn’t waste anytime getting started to make it. I have a family bbq and wanted to take this masterpiece along with me. I’ve just finished putting it all together, but the coating (more specifically the butter), seems to have set on the apples. Is there anything I can do to get rid of the butter that’s set on the apples, without damaging the roses or the pie?
Hi Ophemia, I imagine as the pie warms a little that butter llok will soften and melt away. If you were really concerned then putting the pie in a sunny spot or a warm place for 5-10 minutes should do the trick. If you are desperate, just warm the top surface with a hairdryer on the lowest temp setting.
How does the custard set do you keep the finish product in the fridge for the custard to set? Also for the pastry what heat is necessary for the pastry when in the avon.
Hi Bernice, The custard will set as it cools. It will cool more quickly in the fridge. Cook the pastry in a moderate oven. Unless otherwise specified, Ann recommends a moderate oven.
Can you save this for the next day? I won’t be able to cook it when I want to serve it.
Hi Mikahla, you need to bake the pie shell prior, then you can cook the custard and assemble. It will store in the fridge overnight.
Can pecan nuts be substituted with any other nuts? Almonds or walnuts? Also can we use Gala apples? Which one has been used here?
Hi Sara, You can change the nuts for any you prefer. I have tried this with a couple of Aussie varieties of red apples and they work well.
Hi there! I love the idea and the creativity for this but I couldnt find what temperature to set the oven to
Hi Alyssa, Use a moderate oven unless otherwise stated.
I will be making this the day before thanksgiving. Would it be ok to assemble this the day before, and then serve on Thanksgiving or will it become soft or mushy overnight?
Hi Mary, You can make it the day prior and refridgerate.
i did this although it took almost 2 hours per apple batch to get as soft as they needed to be.
The look of the cake was amazing although the flavour… quite disappointing. Too much apple
Hi. How long can this tart be kept in the fridge?
Hi Rachel, it is best made the day or day prior to serving.
Why didn’t your apple slices have any seds?
Did anyone have trouble rolling the apples? I first tried to use Fuji but still after 40 minutes they were still breaking when I went to roll the tight center apple. So I switched to Red Delicious, but the mandolin made them to thin to hold together. They kind of disintegrated after soaking in the mixture. Maybe I wasn’t patient enough, but I am pretty artistic and gentle. All of the photographs are lovely and I am envious.
Hi Jennifer, I have had good results with Red Delicious apples but you definitely don’t want them cut to thin. The quality of the apple really does play an important part.
Hey Jennifer,
Try heating it for just a few mins in the microwave (3-5 mins). The citrus should still keep it from browning, and make the apple less rigid. If that still doesn’t work, try cutting your apple slices more thinly. Hope that solves it for you! 🙂
How large is the pie dish
10 inches in diameter.
Hi Ann, i have a little question. How big is your pie dish? 8 inch? 9 inch? or others?
Hi Athena, It was about 10 inches in diameter
Thanks for posting, it really took some time to make, but it was defenitely worth it!!
Everybody loves it!
(I used a 30cm dish, it was perfect!)
Great work Sandra. Your pie looks beautiful!
What size is your pie dish?
Hi Sandra, Ann’s dish was about 10inches in diameter.
Hi Ann , I would like to know if you dont bake this tart and serve cold ? I am sorry for being so inquisitive because I like to try this,please specify….more power to you !
I think you are very creative baker.
Hi Camelita, You blind bake the pastry shell but the filling does not need to be baked.
Hi, does the butter mixture make the apples too greasy or taste like they’re coated in a layer of waxy cold butter?especially since it should be served cold
Hi Cindy, The coating is really too thin a coating to impact greatly.
Hello Anna
Is it possible to use and replaced with custard powder instead of that I’m doing the eggs and sugar …… ???
Sorry I do not speak English, but a very nice recipe …. and enlisted Google workers Hahaha
Hi Ilham, the hand made filling is nicer but if you wanted to used custard powder to make the filling you could. Just follow the instructions on the packet but ensure you make the mixture thick enough to set in the pie shell once cool. You may need to experiment to get the consistency you want.