Bavarian Apple Tart

The baking theme for this week is healthy, so I took a recipe straight out of the “trimmed-down favorites” section of the Taste of Home Baking cookbook. Each slice is 213 calories with 9 grams of fat, and delicious to boot. I really like the pairing of the apples with the cream cheese – it gives this tart a different feel from the same old apple pies. As you can see, the tips of the top layer of apples got a bit burnt - keep an eye on your tart as it bakes.

Crust:

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter (5 1/3 tablespoons), softened

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

In an electric mixer or other bowl, add the sugar and butter and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in flour, cinnamon and vanilla and mix to incorporate. Place the dough in a 9” tart pan. Lay a piece of plastic wrap over it, and work the dough until it covers the bottom and sides of the pan. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Filling:

1 package (8 ounces) Neufchatel or low-fat cream cheese

¼ cup sugar

1 egg

1.5 tablespoons vanilla extract

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla until just combined. Pour mixture into the pie crust.

Topping:

4 cups thinly sliced peeled apples (about 4 medium; I only needed ~3)

1/3 cup sugar

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Slice the apples and place in a large bowl with sugar and cinnamon. Toss to coat. Arrange apples on top of tart. Bake the tart at 400°F for 40 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the crust is golden brown. Let cool a bit before serving.