Gluten Free Apple Tart with Vanilla Caramel Custard

Get ready to drool because this creamy gluten free apple tart with caramel and vanilla custard is that good. Tart fresh apples collide with creamy custard and a gluten free almond tart crust to make an awesome gluten free dessert.

When it comes to caramel and apples, this gluten free apple custard tart dessert recipe is pretty awesome! It is full of fresh granny smith apples, which nicely match the creamy vanilla custard flavors.

I am a self-proclaimed food geek, I guess. This week,  I bought apples, and so did Mr. Fearless Dining. Our teens are big fruit eaters, but two giant bags of apples?

This tart is perfect for anyone who loves apples and caramel. If you love sweet and savory apple recipes. Check out my best gluten free apple recipes on the blog.

Why Try This Tart Recipe:

1. Creamy vanilla custard, sweet-tart apples, and a gooey caramel sauce make this dessert so hard to resist.
2. It is really easy to make, with simple, easy-to-find ingredients.
3. The vanilla custard is creamy and adds delicious flavor. It is light in flavor but holds up well to the moistness of this tart really well.
4. This tart makes a beautiful dessert to bring for any family or friends get-together. It is also very decorative for Thanksgiving and fall harvest parties.

Ingredient Notes:

• Almond Flour - I highly suggest using almond flour and not an almond meal. Almond meal is more coarse and will make your tart crust grainy.
• Tart Apples - I love the sweet tartness of Granny Smith, Pink Lady, and Fuji apple varieties with the vanilla custard.
• Shredded Coconut - Use unsweetened, or the tart will turn out too sweet.
• Tapioca Starch - You can also use arrowroot starch.
• Eggs - Use size large
• Coconut Oil - You can also use butter or dairy-free butter for the crust.

Crust Options:

If you do not want nuts or coconut in the crust, I have some tasty gluten free crust options you can use instead.

1. This gluten free graham cracker crust would add a fun flavor to the caramel and apples.
2. You can even use this flaky gluten free pie crust recipe for this tart!

Tips For Success:

• Be sure to store almond flour or almond meal in the refrigerator so it doesn't get rancid. If your almond flour has been in the pantry, it is probably best to use a new bag if it has been in the pantry for a while. Rancid almonds can ruin a tart.
• Use your fingers or a spoon to really compress the tart crust into the tart mold. It will help hold together a lot better if the tart crust mixture is really pressed down firmly.
• You can use this tart crust with other fruits like pears or berries too.

Recipe Step-By-Step Directions:

Step 1: To make the gluten free almond flour crust, add the crust ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix well. I like to use a whisk to blend the dry ingredients.

Step 2: Melt the coconut oil in a microwave-safe dish for 20-25 seconds (depending on whether the coconut oil is hard or soft in the jar.) Add the coconut oil to the crust mixture. Mix well.

Step 3: Spray the tart pan with coconut oil and press the tart crust down into the pan. Note you can use a rectangular or circular tart pan. It is completely up to you. I highly recommend using a tart pan with a removable bottom. A removable bottom makes it so much easier to serve this tart.

Step 4: Place a pot on the stove and add the wet custard ingredients. Cook over low heat until it thickens, using a wire whisk to stir the mixture frequently.

Use a spoon to remove about three tablespoons of the hot liquid. Put it into a small dish. Use a whisk to mix the tapioca starch into the hot liquid, then pour it back into the pot and whisk to blend. This will help prevent lumps.

Now it is time to assemble and bake the tart! On a cutting board, wash and thinly slice your apple. Many ask if you remove the peel of the apple first. That is a personal preference so peel the apples if you want. I left the peels on my apples.

Step 5: Press the crust mixture into a tart pan. Pour the custard into the crust and lay thinly sliced apples on top of the custard.

Place the tart pan in a larger pan like a cookie sheet. This is just in case there are any leaks from the bottom of the tart pan.

Step 6: Bake the tart at 350º F for 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the gluten free apple tart to cool.

Slice and drench in caramel if you like :-).

Because we have so many apples, I also plan to make this Gluten Free Caramel Apple Cake, and maybe these Gluten Free Apple Crisp Overnight Oats too.

Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ:

This post was updated from an older July 2018 post with more details and directions.

More Gluten Free Apple Recipes:

I absolutely love apples. If you want to try more of my easy gluten free apple recipes, here are some of my favorites:

• Gluten Free Apple Galette
• Light and Fluffy Apple Muffins
• Gluten Free Apple Bundt Cake
• Gluten Free French Apple Cake

📖 Recipe

Gluten Free Vanilla Custard Caramel Apple Tart

Sandi Gaertner

You are going to love how easy this gluten free vanilla custard caramel apple tart recipe is to make. Topped with a creamy caramel.

4.92 from 12 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Gluten Free Dessert Recipes

Cuisine American

Servings 8 slices

Calories 247 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Crust Mixture

• ▢ 1 cup almond flour * see note
• ▢ 1 tablespoon sugar
• ▢ ⅓ cup shredded coconut unsweetened

Custard

• ▢ 1 ½ cups whole milk
• ▢ 4 egg yolks
• ▢ ¼ cup sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
• ▢ dash salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted

Topping

• ▢ 2 granny smith apples sliced thinly

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350º F. Ensure your oven rack is set in the middle of the oven.
• In a medium-sized bowl, add the first 3 ingredients. Mix well.
• Be sure your coconut oil is melted, and pour it into the crust mixture. Mix well. Note you can also use butter if you prefer.
• Spray coconut oil in a tart pan. (I highly recommend using a tart pan with a removable bottom! Pour the crust mix in the tart pan and spread it out. Press down the crust mixture to flatten all along the bottom and sides of the tart pan.
• In a saucepan, add milk, vanilla, and egg yolks. Cook on medium-low heat for 8 minutes, stirring with a whisk frequently. Use a spoon to remove 3-4 tablespoons of the hot liquid and put it in a small bowl. Add tapioca starch and whisk to blend. Pour this back into the custard mixture and whisk to blend.
• Pour the custard into the tart pan. Add sliced apples onto the top the tart. (See photo above.)
• Bake the tart for 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Drizzle caramel on top.

Notes

1. I love to use Anthony's or Honeyville Almond Flour brands. I highly suggest using almond flour and not almond meal. Almond meal is more coarse and will make your tart crust grainy.
2. I like to use granny smith apples because they are tart and the flavor balances really well with the vanilla custard.
3. This tart will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.

SPECIAL NOTE

Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn't test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 247kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 6gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 102mgSodium: 34mgPotassium: 133mgFiber: 3gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 228IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 96mgIron: 1mg

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Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.

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