Honeyed Apple Matzo Tart for Passover

I promise I will talk about more than just baked goods on this blog. Ok, I will probably talk about baked goods A LOT, but I’ll try to keep it reasonable. With Justin in full-on marathon training mode, I think I am sympathy eating carbs.

Growing up, we celebrated a mishmosh of Christian and Jewish holidays. Since my personal philosophy is that any holiday is reason to celebrate, I really thought this was fun! I haven’t attended a Passover seder (the feast that signals the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover) since childhood. The seder ritual is quite elaborate and involves tasting of symbolic foods, but all I really remember is drinking grape juice and being rewarded with gold chocolate coins (pretty great!).

The Talmud says, “Room can always be found in one’s stomach for sweet things” — and I could not agree more!!  This is especially true for Passover and for my mom’s side of the family. The tricky part about creating desserts for Passover is that they cannot contain any grains that can ferment and leaven when mixed with water. This means all wheat, rye, barley, oats, and spelt are out. Matzo is the only wheat product allowed because it is unleavened. Additionally, for Jews who keep kosher, meat and dairy cannot be consumed at the same meal. The seder meal is MEATY to say the least, so dessert should be dairy-free.

Feeling up to the challenge, I created this tasty apple tart that meets the necessary dietary restrictions and is full of healthier ingredients. If you can find it, get whole wheat matzo meal (I found mine at Whole Foods) to use as part of the crust. Instead of butter I used the soy free Earth Balance sticks because in addition to being vegan, they can be used by those who are also avoiding soy and other legumes during Passover. I found this guide helpful for determining what foods are kosher for Passover.

To layer the apples, I took a tip from my very favorite master chef Jacques Pépin in his cookbook Essential Pépin. After coring and thinly slicing the apples, you save half the slices (preferably the largest, prettiest slices) for the top. The other half, including the ends or the less attractive slices, get coarsely chopped to become the base of the tart, while the pretty slices create a gorgeous top. Is this not brilliant? Pépin knows his stuff. I came across another blogger who wrote about this same technique. And from her I got the idea to dress the apples for the base with a bit of sweetness and cinnamon. {note: You can peel your apples, if desired. I just can’t be bothered unless it is absolutely necessary.}

Once baked, the apples are tender and gooey with honey, while the crust offers crunchy contrast. Husband said it was good but needed a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream to really make it feel like dessert. I have to agree. My favorite dairy free ice cream is Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss, which would be delicious paired with this tart. But as my cousin Debbie explained to me, while some observers continue to adhere to tradition, many of the strict and complicated dietary prohibitions associated with Passover (and kosher dietary laws in general) are being lifted and simplified. This article explains it well.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, making substitutions as you desire. And if you decide to pair with just the tiniest bit of ice cream, I definitely won’t tell. 🙂 Let me know how it turns out!

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Honeyed Apple Matzo Tart

 

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Sweet honeyed apples and a crunchy whole wheat matzo and cashew crust. Perfect for seder dessert!

Author: Shelly | ShellyMade

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

• 2 cups cashews, pecans, or walnuts
• ¾ cup Earth Balance Soy Free buttery sticks, melted
• 1 cup whole wheat matzo meal
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup sugar or ¼ cup maple syrup
• 
  
• Apples:
• 1½ pounds crisp, tart apples (try Pink Lady, Golden Delicious, or Fuji)
• ¼ cup honey, plus 1 tablespoon
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (can use alcohol free like Frontier brand)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 10-inch tart pan and set aside.
2. In a food processor, pulse the cashews and matzo together until finely ground (or a more coarse grind will result in a crunchier, more textured crust). Transfer the nut mixture to a bowl and combine with sugar and melted butter. Press crumb mixture into the bottom and sides of tart pan.
3. Halve and core the apples. Place them cut side down on the cutting board and cut into thin slices. Set aside the larger center slices. Coarsely chop the remaining slices and toss with the 1 tablespoon honey, sugar, and cinnamon. Spread this mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared crust. Layer the slices spoke like from the outside working into the center. You may have a few slices leftover (snack for the chef!).
4. Gently heat the honey and vanilla (on the stove top or in the microwave) until just liquid enough to brush onto the apples. Drizzle or brush half the honey mixture over the apples. Bake 40 minutes until the apples have softened and the crust has browned.
5. Cool on a wire rack and drizzle the top of the tart with the reserved honey mixture. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

When possible, get honey from bees local to your region. This will give your tart that extra special flavor and supports your local bees (and farmers)!

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