Salted Caramel Apple Tart

Start with the tart dough. In a food processor, add the flour, salt and granulated sugar. Pulse for a couple seconds to mix. Cut your cold butter into small cubes, about an inch thick or less. Dump them into the processor and pulse the dough until the chunks of butter are very small, about 20 seconds. Then add the egg yolk and pulse until combined.

Add the cold water one tablespoon at a time. Add a tablespoon, and then pulse. Add another tablespoon, then pulse again. Continue doing this until the dough forms into a single ball. You may need less or a little more than 5-6 tablespoons of water, so be wary of that.

Remove the dough and knead it slightly, just so that the dough has become one single ball. Place it in a covered bowl or wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill iit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

In the meantime, make the apples. Slice your apples and place them in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice, cinnamon, brown sugar and vanilla extract. Toss the apples very gently so they do not break. Let them sit (macerate) for at least 15-20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease your tart pan with a smear of butter. Remove your dough from the fridge and lightly flour your work surface. Knead the dough with your hands for about a minute, until the dough feels pliable but not too sticky. Flour your rolling pin and roll out the dough into a large circle, about 10-11 inches in diameter. It shouldn't be thin enough to tear in the center.

Transfer the dough to the tart pan and press it firmly into the crevices and the bottom until it all looks smooth. There will be some extra dough that overhangs. Trim it off with a knife or scissors. Place it in the fridge to chill for 10 minutes before filling.

Arrange your apples over the crust in any pattern you want. To achieve my design, grab a handful of apples and line them up, from one edge of the tart pan to the center. Then align another handful of apples in a different direction, next to your previous stack. Start with larger handfuls, and then use smaller apple slices to fit into the smaller crevices. Keep going until the pan is full.

Sprinkle the top of the tart with an extra pinch of granulated sugar. Dot the tart with six or so pieces of unsalted butter. Then place it in the oven to bake for 60 minutes. The tart will look nice and golden. Let it cool.

While the tart is baking, make the caramel. Add the sugar to a saucepan over medium heat, and stir it frequently as it melts to prevent burning. Once it has turned an amber shade, remove the pan from the heat and add the butter. Stir until it has all melted into the sugar. Add the cream and stir - it should start to thicken into a sauce. Add the sea salt. Transfer the caramel to a separate bowl or container to cool and thicken.

Once the tart has cooled, remove it from the tart pan. When ready to serve, slice and top with a large drizzle of caramel, extra sea salt and a scoop of ice cream, if desired.