Rustic Apple Torte:Perfectly Imperfect and Full of Flavour
This Rustic Apple Torte has everything I love about baking: simplicity, flavor, and a beautiful nod to the fall apple harvest. It starts with my go-to crust—more like a cookie crust than a traditional pie crust. It’s easy to work with, and let’s be real, it’s way more delicious.
I’ve always preferred a torte over a pie. While pies can sometimes feel like fruit wrapped in butter and flour, a torte puts the focus squarely on the fruit. It has a rustic charm with its free-form edges and a modern elegance in its imperfections. Every fold and wrinkle adds character, making it feel like a celebration of the apples themselves.
We’re lucky to live in a region that still grows incredible apples. Still is the key word here—many orchards have given way to vineyards. And while I’ll never say no to a good glass of wine, I’m grateful for the apple farmers who continue to grow these crisp, sweet treasures. This torte is my way of honoring their dedication and savoring the bounty of fall.
Baking this torte is like wrapping your kitchen in the warm, cozy scent of autumn. The tender apples, the buttery cookie crust, and a sprinkle of sugar and cinnamon make it perfect for any occasion. Serve it as a simple weeknight dessert or a stunning centerpiece for a dinner party. Either way, it’s a reminder that beauty lies in simplicity and a little bit of rustic charm.
So here’s to the apples, the farmers, and this perfectly imperfect torte. ❤️
Rustic Apple Torte
Special Note: This can be baked on a rimmed cookie sheet, in case any juices run out…but I recently discovered baking it in a cheescake pan - contains any juices and helps in the crust formation.
Ingredients:
Torte Crust:
1 1/2 c. flour
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 c. cold firm butter (from fridge)
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp (approx.) cold water
Torte Filling:
4 peeled, cored and thinly sliced apples
1/3c sugar
3 tbsp flour
1tsp cinnamon
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F .
Make Crust: Combine flour and sugar.
Grate in butter (see photo) and then mix in with a fork until combined ingredients resemble coarse crumbs.
Whisk together egg yolk and ice cold water (you want the cold so that the liquid here doesn’t simply melt the butter when added to the above ingredients). Add to above ingredients and combine with a fork.
Press into a ball and then roll out on a lightly floured surface so that the size extends a few inches past the base of a cheesecake pan (I used an 11” cheesecake pan).
Then place over cheesecake pan base.
Combine flour, sugar and cinnamon (to taste) in a bowl, add sliced apples ( I prefer thinly sliced because the apples are more likely to be cooked through once the crust is browned).
Place apples on the torte base and roll edges over the sides. Pinch the seams together (may need a hint of water on your fingertips to get a seal).
Place in reheated oven.
Bake until golden brown and apples are cooked through when gently pierced with a fork (approximately 40 min)
Enjoy plain or with a a lille ice vanilla ice cream.
