Apple Tart (Paleo, Gluten-Free)

The real star of this apple tart is, of course, the apples. Sliced thinly and layered into the tart crust, they make an absolutely stunning holiday dessert.

Those slices become golden and caramelized around the edges, while turning tender and juicy underneath. Every bite is subtly sweet and perfect.

I also make this with a crust that is paleo-friendly and gluten-free so that everyone at your table can enjoy a slice. Trust me, this crust is just as buttery and crisp as traditional pie crust.

Since the paleo diet consists of whole foods and avoids grains and refined sugar, you can imagine that a paleo tart crust can be a challenge.

This crust uses almond flour with arrowroot starch and some baking powder to lighten it up. Chia, flax, and egg act as binders to help the dough stick together and make it easier to roll.

You must use finely ground almond flour (blanched almond flour with no skins) or this recipe will not turn out right. I use Bob’s Red Mill Superfine Almond Flour. Also, you can substitute the arrowroot starch with tapioca starch, which can be easier to find, but it will change the texture a bit.

Slicing slicing and arranging of the apples take a bit of patience, but I enjoy the rhythm and meditative nature of making this apple tart.

I made this three times, once with Honeycrisp, once with Granny Smith, and once with the combination of the two. I think the combo version was best.

Serve this paleo apple tart warm or at room temperature. To take this __dessert over the top, serve it with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream. (By the way, coconut milk makes an excellent paleo-friendly whipped cream!)