Ingredients

Makes 1 tart

　　

To make the tart:

pâte brisée

　　raw rice for weighting the shell

　　4 Granny Smith apples (about 2 pounds)

　　2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

　　6 tablespoons sugar

　　3 large egg yolks

　　1 cup heavy cream

　　1 teaspoon vanilla extract

　　1/3 cup golden raisins

　　a pinch of cinnamon

　　

For the pâte brisée:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

　　3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unslated butter, cut into bits

　　2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　

To make the tart:

Step 1

Roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface and fit it into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim. Prick the shell with a fork and chill it for at least 30 minutes or, covered, overnight. Line the shell with foil, fill the foil with the rice, and bake the shell in the lower third of a preheated 425°F. oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and the rice carefully, bake the shell 10 minutes more, or until it is pale golden, and let it cool in the pan on a rack.

　　

Step 2

In a bowl stir together the apples, peeled, cored, and cut into eighths, the lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of the sugar and toss the mixture until the apples are coated well. In a large bowl whisk together the yolks, the cream, 2 1/2 tablespoons of the remaining sugar, a pinch of salt, and the vanilla and stir in the raisins. Arrange the apples decoratively in the shell, pour the cream mixture over them, and sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon over it. Bake the tart in the middle of a preheated 375°F. oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the apples are tender when pierced with a cake tester, let it cool in the pan on a rack, and remove the rim.

　　

To make the pâte brisée:

Step 3

In a large bowl blend the flour, the butter, the vegetable shortening, and the salt until the mixture resembles meal. Add 2 tablespoons ice water, toss the mixture until the water is incorporated, adding more ice water if necessary to form a dough, and form the dough into a ball. Dust the dough with flour and chill it, wrapped in wax paper, for 1 hour.