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. For more information on which apple varieties are best for baking, check out our Guide to Apples. 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!) Gently ease the crust into the tart dish and press it into the corners. Peel back the parchment and discard. Your pastry dough may break, but just press the cracks back together if it does. Use a paring knife to trim away the excess dough and then prick the bottom of the tart all over with the tines of a fork. When you get to the center, take your thinnest apple slices and fold them gently to form the center of the pattern. (You might have some apple slices leftover.) Sprinkle the lemon zest evenly over the tart. Drizzle about half of the glaze evenly over the tart. (I dipped a pastry brush in the glaze and let it drip onto onto the apples.)
