By Cuisine en Locale (enlocale.com) We know a magic secret: You don’t need lemon to cure apples and keep them from turning brown in your tart and pie recipes. You can use honey! Yes, it’s true. Just make up a 1:1 mix of honey and water and toss your apples in it to hold them until baking. Works like a charm and tastes great too.

Makes one 9 1/2-inch tart.

Ingredients

Tart Crust 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1-inch cubes 1/2 cup maple sugar 1 1/2 cups Four Star Farms bolted pastry flour 1/8 teaspoon salt

Apple Maple Ricotta Filling 4 large apples, peeled, quartered, and sliced into 16ths (Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Granny Smith) 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup water, cold 1 pound whole milk ricotta, Capone’s 1/2 cup mascarpone 1/3 cup maple syrup 3 large eggs 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon maple sugar

Glaze 3 tablespoons maple syrup, warmed in saucepan

Preparation

Make Crust

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

In an electric mixer bowl, combine flour, maple sugar and salt. Mix on low until combined.

Add the cold butter cubes, and mix until combined. The dough will be crumbly.

Turn the mixture onto table and knead together until it starts to resemble dough.

Cover in plastic and chill for 1 hour.

Turn dough onto a floured surface and roll into a circle 10 1/2 inches in diameter.

Place dough over fluted tart pan (or pie plate) and gently press into pan. Prick bottom gently with fork.

Chill for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

Par-bake for 12–14 minutes.

Cool and set aside.

Make Filling

Preheat oven to 350º F.

Combine honey and water and toss the apples in it. This will prevent the apples from turning brown.

Place ricotta, mascarpone, maple syrup, eggs and a pinch of salt in an electric mixer bowl.

With the paddle attachment, combine on low speed for 30 seconds, then on medium speed for 1 minute.

Scrape the filling into the tart shell, smooth the top, combine the cinnamon and maple sugar and dust the top.

Place the apples on the top of the filling, forming a spiral design.

Sprinkle maple sugar over the top of the apples.

Bake 35–40 minutes, or until the filling is firm and slightly puffed.

Brush the tops of the apples with the maple syrup glaze.

Transfer the tart to a rack and cool completely before serving.

Storing

Leftovers can be kept, well covered, in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature.