You Want Pies With That ? - Flower Apple Tart

I have discovered a few interesting websites that focus on certain themes....most of them separated by days (sugar high Fridays comes to my mind now, as an example)....but this one I decided to subscribe to is "You want pies with that ?" .
They have a special section called Everything you need to know - for those of you who are not familiar with the challenge and would like to read more about it.


Needless to say, all the members there are so talented and dedicated and I feel like a novice compared to them.
They have a theme chosen by a previous winner that is in place and lasts for a whole month, and to enter in the competition you only need to post about your chosen pie or tart that complies with the theme and then email a picture of the recipe along with a permanent link to your blog where you have posted it, with the recipe.
For October they have chosen "Masquerade Pie - what could be more perfect for the month of Halloween!
"Masquerade Pie" - Make a pie that has a secret.

You can conceal your pie's secret identity (with a robe of dark
chocolate, maybe?) or disguise your pie as one thing when it's really
something else (like a mock apple pie deceptively made with Ritz
crackers instead of apples). You can use a mysterious, unusual or
surprising ingredient in your pie or if you're more inclined to step
out from behind the mask, you can reveal a secret recipe or technique."

This is their description on the website.
So to comply with the given directions and requests, I have chosen to make a FLOWER APPLE TART....which has a secret.....drum roll....ta da ra ra..... Marzipan !
It's a recipe I came up with, some days ago when I was in my quest for the perfect French Apple Tart. Boy was it good !
I hope at least some of you - my dear readers - will try it so I can get some feedback on what you think of it.

Ingredients:
2 Granny Smith apples
1 pie crust (bought or homemade)


1/2 box marzipan paste


2 TBSP brown sugar
3 TBSP powder sugar or plain white sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
2 or 3 TBSP butter, cut into very thing slices
orange reduction or apricot jam

Directions:
Thaw the frozen pie crust and place it in a 9 inch pie pan, with the edges tucked in nicely.



Choose 2 nice apples, wash, peel, cut in half and core the them (all I had left apple-wise were these 3 apples, so I got to eat the other one raw !).




Then cut each half into 1/8 inch thick slices and have ready to top the tart with.
In a food processor mix the cinnamon, brown sugar, zest and and marzipan until well combined.


Pour the mixture in the pie crust


and top with the apple slices, beginning at the edges.


Arrange them nicely so it looks like a flower at the end.

This is how your tart / pie will look like after you have fittied the first apple slices in.
Not to worry, the other slices will fit in just right !


Just tuck them in nicely as if they were a rose's petals.

When you are done, top with some powder sugar or white sugar. If you wish, you can also add some cinnamon to the sugar, although it does not really do much for the tart.


Then top with the butter that you have cut into thin slices or small pieces.


Bake at 425 F for 25 to 40 minutes, depending on how fast your apples will look baked.

Some of the apple edges will begin to brown.

Heat up the orange reduction or the apricot jam a bit and brush it over the apple tart.

Let cool at least 10 minutes before cutting.




Enjoy !