Get ready to drool because this creamy gluten free apple tart with caramel and vanilla custard is that good. Tart fresh apple flavor combined with a creamy custard and a gluten free almond tart crust to make an awesome gluten free dessert.
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Regarding caramel and apples, this gluten free apple custard tart dessert recipe is pretty awesome! It has fresh tart apples that match the creamy vanilla custard flavors.
This tart is perfect for anyone who loves caramel apple flavors. If you love sweet and savory apple recipes, check out my best gluten free apple recipes on the blog. This apple tart recipe is so good, it is the base recipe for my Gluten-Free Apricot Tart.
Why we love this gluten free apple tart:
- The creamy vanilla custard, sweet-tart apples, and gooey caramel sauce make this dessert hard to resist.
- It is really easy to make, with simple, easy-to-find ingredients. If you don’t own a tart pan, you can also make it in a pie pan.
- The vanilla custard is creamy and adds delicious flavor. It is light in flavor but holds up well to the moistness of this tart.
- This tart makes a beautiful dessert for any family or friends get-together. It is also very decorative for Thanksgiving and fall harvest parties.
Allergen Information:
This recipe is gluten-free and soy-free. See the Crust Options section for a nut-free crust option.
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- 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
- Sugar – Use cane sugar.
- Eggs – Use size large.
- Vanilla Extract – Use pure vanilla extract.
- Milk – I have only tested this recipe with whole milk.
Substitutions:
- You can use butter or plant-based butter in place of the coconut oil.
- You can use arrowroot or cornstarch in place of tapioca starch if needed.
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.
- This gluten free graham cracker crust would add a fun flavor to the caramel and apples.
- 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 compress the tart crust into the mold. It will help hold together much better if the tart crust mixture is pressed firmly.
- You can also use this gluten free tart crust recipe with other fruits like pears or berries.
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:
Step 1: To make the gluten free almond flour crust, add the crust ingredients to a large
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.
If you use butter instead of coconut oil, you will want to melt it.
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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 entirely 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.
Press the crust into that pan if you use a pie tin.
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. 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 apple peel. That is a personal preference, so peel the apples if you want. I left the peels on my apples.
Step 5: Pour the custard mixture into the crust and lay thinly sliced apples on top of the custard.
Place the tart pan in a larger pan like a
Step 6: Bake the tart at 350º F for 30-35 minutes. The actual baking time will vary depending on the size and depth of the tart pan you use. Remove the tart from the oven to a cooling rack, and allow the apple tart to cool.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions:
My favorite apples are tart. Think Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Honey Crisp, and Braeburn, to list a few.
Store this tart in an airtight container. It will keep fresh for up to 4 days.
You can freeze this tart whole or as slices. I prefer to freeze this as slices. Cut the tart and place in a small pan. Flash-freeze the tart slices for 1-2 hours. Place the frozen slices into a freezer bag and squeeze out the extra air. 4 months in the freezer.
This easy almond flour tart crust recipe can be filled with so many fun fillings!
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
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Gluten Free Vanilla Custard Caramel Apple Tart
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. Ensure your oven rack is set in the middle of the oven.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add 1 cup almond flour, 1 tablespoon cane sugar, and 1/3 cup shredded coconut. Mix well.
- Melt the 2 tablespoons coconut oil and pour it into the crust mixture. Mix well. Note that you can also use butter if you prefer.
- Spray gluten free baking spray 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 it all along the bottom and fluted sides of the tart pan.
- In a saucepan, add 1 1/2 cups whole milk, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1/4 cup cane sugar, dash salt, and 4 egg yolks. Whisk the mixture and 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 2 tablespoons tapioca starch and whisk to blend. Pour this back into the custard mixture and whisk to blend. By adding the tapioca starch this way, you avoid lumps in your custard.
- Pour the custard into the tart pan. Thinly slice 2 granny smith apples and place them on top of the tart. (See photo above.) Peeling the apples is optional.
- Bake the tart for 30-35 minutes. Please note that the actual baking time will vary depending on the size and depth of your tart pan.
- Remove the tart from the oven and place it on a cooling rack.
- When the tart has cooled, drizzle on the caramel.
Nutrition
Notes
- I love to use Anthony’s or Honeyville Almond Flour brands because they mill the flour finely. I highly suggest using almond flour and not an almond meal. Almond meal is coarser and will make your tart crust grainy.
- I like to use granny smith apples because they are tart, and the flavor balances really well with the vanilla custard.
- I only tested this recipe with whole milk, so I do not know if dairy-free milk would work. You can substitute butter or dairy-free butter for the coconut oil.
- This tart will keep fresh for up to 4 days in an airtight container or for up to 4 months in the freezer.
Nutritional 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.
Tried this recipe?
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This post was updated from an older July 2018 post with more details and directions.
Can you please post pictures and how the crust should look, what the consistency of the custard should be and how to make the Carmel
Hi Jewel, I made that recipe for the blog back in 2018. I don’t have the specific shots you are asking for. The crust can be as thick or thin as you like. Mine is about 1/4 inch thick. The custard is a thick liquid and bakes soft but not runny. I hope that helps.
I think I’m going to have to invest in one of those tart pans!
They are easy to use and because the bottom pops out, it is easy to get the tart out of the pan 🙂
Can I make the custard with any other type of milk because I can’t tolerate dairy?
Hi Stephanie, I haven’t tried it, but I did find this recipe for a dairy free vanilla custard that sounds delicious. http://meritandfork.com/paleo-dairy-free-vanilla-custard/ I hope this helps! Sandi