Compared to a full-size pie, these miniature apple crumble tassies take significantly less time to make and bake. Plus, the cream cheese-based crust gets pressed into mini muffin cups, meaning there’s no need to roll out rounds of dough or crimp edges. Made with grated apple, the filling cooks into a tart-sweet, slightly jammy pocket of spiced fruit. Feel free to alter the amounts of each spice or use a different blend entirely. A simple crumble topping bakes into a craggly cookie-like cap on each mini pie.
Tassies are best the day they are baked, but the dough and filling may be made up to 3 days in advance. You’ll need a mini muffin tin to make these. If your tin has 24 cups, you can double the recipe, or make another filling flavor (see related recipes). It’s not necessary to grease the tin.
Active time: 30 mins; Total time: 50 mins, plus 1 hour for chilling dough
Make Ahead: The dough must be refrigerated for 1 hour. The dough and filling can be made up to 3 days in advance. Stir any made-ahead filling before portioning into cups, to ensure the ingredients are evenly distributed
Storage Notes: Leftover tassies may be refrigerated in covered containers for up to 2 days.
Servings:
12
Tested size: 12 servings; makes 12 tassies
Ingredients
- For the crust
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4 tablespoons (2 ounces/60 grams) unsalted butter, softened, but still cool to the touch
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1 1/2 ounces (40 grams) cream cheese, softened, but still cool to the touch
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1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon (70 grams) all-purpose flour
- For the crumble topping
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1/4 cup all-purpose flour
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3 tablespoons packed light or dark brown sugar, preferably dark brown
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1/8 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
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2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- For the filling
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1 medium apple (about 6 ounces; 150 grams), preferably Granny Smith (see NOTE)
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1/4 cup (55 grams) packed light brown sugar
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1 tablespoon melted butter
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1 tablespoon cornstarch
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1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
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1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
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1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
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1/8 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
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Confectioners’ sugar, for garnish (optional)
Directions
Make the crust: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment — or, if using a hand mixer, in a large bowl — beat together the butter and cream cheese until smooth, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and add the flour. On low speed, mix until no streaks remain and the dough starts to come together, about 1 minute. Scrape any stray dough from the sides of the bowl, gather into a ball and flatten into a smooth rectangle or disc. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour.
When ready to bake, position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
Cut the cold dough into 12 equal pieces, about 1-inch cubes, and, using your fingers, evenly press each piece into the bottom and up the sides of 12 mini muffin cups, making sure there are no holes. Refrigerate, uncovered, while you make the filling.
Make the topping: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter, and using your fingers, mash it into the dry ingredients until the butter is no longer visible and small clumps begin to form. If your kitchen is warm, let the crumble chill in the refrigerator until needed.
Make the filling: Peel the apple, if desired. Using the large holes of a grater, grate the apple, around its core, into a medium bowl. Stir in the brown sugar, butter, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt until well combined. Retrieve the muffin pan from the refrigerator, and add a tablespoon of filling into each dough cup, filling it about 3/4 of the way, stopping to stir the filling periodically to ensure the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Top each filled tassie with some of the crumble topping, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crumble and crust are golden brown.
Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool completely before removing the tassies. Use a fine mesh strainer to dust the tops with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.
NOTE: If using a sweeter apple, add a teaspoon or two of fresh lemon juice to the filling to help balance the sweetness.
Recipe Source
From staff writer G. Daniela Galarza.
Tested by Jim Webster.
Email questions to the Food Section at food@washpost.com.
