Ingredients

For applesauce filling

2 1/2 pounds McIntosh apples (about 6)

　　1 pound purple or red plums (about 4), halved and pitted

　　3/4 cup sugar

　　1/4 cup apple juice

　　2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

　　

For cookie crust

1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skinned (procedure follows)

　　3 tablespoons sugar

　　1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened

　　1 large egg yolk beaten lightly with 2 tablespoons water

　　

For meringue

2 large egg whites

　　1/3 cup sugar

　　

Make applesauce filling:

Step 1

Quarter and core apples (do not peel). In a 5-quart saucepan simmer apples, uncovered, with remaining filling ingredients 2 hours, or until mixture is reduced to about 3 3/4 cups. (Stir mixture frequently during last 30 minutes of cooking to prevent scorching.) Force mixture through a food mill fitted with coarse disk or a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids, and chill. Applesauce may be made up to 3 days ahead and chilled, covered.

　　

Step 2

Preheat oven to 375°F.

　　

Make cookie crust:

Step 3

In a food processor grind hazelnuts fine with sugar, flour, and salt. Add butter and pulse mixture well. Add yolk mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition, and pulse mixture until it forms a dough. Press dough onto bottom and up side of a 10-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim. Bake crust in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until browned lightly, and cool in pan on a rack. Crust may be made 3 days ahead and kept, covered, in a cool dry place.

　　

Step 4

Spread applesauce onto crust.

　　

Step 5

Preheat oven to 450°F.

　　

Make meringue:

Step 6

In a bowl with an electric mixer beat egg whites with a pinch salt until they hold soft peaks. Add sugar gradually, beating whites until they hold stiff peaks.

　　

Step 7

Transfer meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip and pipe some in a lattice pattern over filling. Pipe remaining meringue onto edge of tart to make a decorative border.

　　

Step 8

Bake tart in middle of oven 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden, and chill 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.

　　

To toast and skin hazelnuts:

Step 9

Preheat oven to 350°F.

　　

Step 10

In a baking pan toast hazelnuts in one layer in oven 10 to 15 minutes, or until colored lightly, and skins blister. Wrap nuts in a kitchen towel and let steam 1 minute. Rub nuts in towel to remove as much of skins as possible and cool.