• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Midnight Snack
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • About

Eatnik logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • Newsletter
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Contact
    • Newsletter
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • ×
    • Table-side Chicken Caesar Salad
    • Hot Cross Bun Pudding
    • Pumpkin Coconut Dal
    • Garlic Oyster Sauce Scissor-Cut Noodles
    • Strawberry and White Chocolate Cookie for Two
    • Slow Cooker Japanese Beef Curry
    • Roasted Capsicum Pasta
    • Lo Bak Go (Turnip Cake)
    • Beans alla Vodka
    • Vegetable and Tofu Dumplings
    • Lemon Iced Tea
    • Steamed Eggplant with Chilli Oil
    Home » Recipes » Dessert

    November 30, 2023 · by Andrea Love · This post may contain affiliate links · No Comments

    Apple Honey and Thyme Tarts

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Flaky golden pastry, soft apple and sweet, sticky honey, these Apple Honey and Thyme Tarts are simple to make and an absolute pleasure to eat. Using only five ingredients, they can be on your table in 30 minutes, served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or tangy crème fraîche.

    Having spent hours preparing a meal, dessert can often be overlooked in favour of defrosting some sort of pudding and serving it up with a scoop of ice cream. Personally, I'm much more of a cook than a baker, and I tend to put far more time and energy into the savoury offerings, rather than the sweet. But dessert should never be an afterthought! Finishing off a meal on the same high as the rest of the menu is the way in which I would like to wrap up any dinner party, and so my quest for easy to make but delicious sweets is one that is never-ending. So here is a winner for you: Apple Honey and Thyme Tarts.

    Inspiration from a classic

    At the heart of these tarts lies the inspiration drawn from the classic French dessert, Tarte Tatin. Legend has it that this upside-down apple tart was born from a kitchen mishap at the Tatin sisters' hotel in France. In a rush, the sisters mistakenly baked their apple tart with the pastry on top. And voila, Tarte Tatin was born! This happy accident has since become a culinary classic, celebrated for its luscious caramelisation and the irresistible allure of baked apples.

    Apple Tarte Tatin
    Sweet caramelised apples in a crunchy, buttery crust - the apple tarte tatin is the perfect winter dessert.
    Check out this recipe

    The flavours and textures of apples, sugar and pastry is much loved, and rightly so. If you're not able to spend time peeling and caramelising apples in a pan, but want a similar dessert with less hands-on time then these Apple Honey and Thyme Tarts are for you.

    A flavourful trio

    The key to these Apple, Honey, and Thyme Tarts is the perfect balance of flavours. The sweetness of ripe apples is enhanced by the rich, golden notes of honey, while the subtle hint of thyme adds a savoury, herbal depth that elevates each bite.

    It is unnecessary to peel the apples as the thin slices allow for the skins to soften gently during the bake time. Use your favourite local honey to take these tarts to the next level. One of the secrets to achieving the flavour is the caramelisation as they bake. The sugars in the honey and apples meld together, creating a heavenly caramel that coats both pastry and apple. The thyme, with its earthy undertones, adds a layer of complexity that transforms a simple tart into something that feels as though its taken far more effort!

    Easy for Entertaining

    These Apple, Honey, and Thyme Tarts are not just a treat for your taste buds; they're also a host's dream dessert. Impress your guests with a sophisticated yet effortlessly prepared pastry in 30 minutes. They can be served warm or at room temperature. Bake them before your guests arrive and leave them out to be enjoyed at the end of your meal. The individual tarts make for a charming presentation, and the aroma of baked apples and thyme wafting through your kitchen will set the stage for an unforgettable dining experience.

    Ingredients

    • Apples
    • Cinnamon
    • Puff pastry
    • Honey
    • Thyme

    See recipe card below for quantities.

    Tips and Variations

    • Apples: I used Pink Lady apples for this recipe, which is a sweet and tart variety. I'd recommend choosing a variety that has a bit of tang to counteract the sweetness of the honey.
    • Honey: This can be swapped for apricot jam and used in a similar way.
    • Serving: Serve as is, or with a dollop of crème fraîche, vanilla yoghurt or scoop of ice cream.

    Equipment

    • Chopping board
    • Knife
    • Bowls
    • Baking tray
    • Cookie cutter
    • Spoon
    • Pastry brush

    Watch the video here. If you make this one, don't forget to tag me on TikTok or Instagram. I love to see it!

    Apple Honey and Thyme Tarts

    Flaky golden pastry, soft apple and sweet, sticky honey, these Apple Honey and Thyme Tarts are simple to make and an absolute pleasure to eat.
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8 people
    Author: Andrea Love

    Ingredients

    • 2 apples (I used Pink Lady)
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 4 sheets puff pastry
    • 100 g honey
    • 1 tablespoon thyme leaves

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 180ºC.
    • Core apples, cut into quarters and thinly slice lengthways, about 2mm thick. Add into a bowl with cinnamon and toss to coat.
    • Allow pastry to partially thaw and cut out 16 discs with a 10cm cookie cutter, placing them on a lined baking tray as you go.
    • Scoop about half a teaspoon of honey on a pastry disc, roughly spreading it, but leaving a 5mm border. Sprinkle with thyme leaves. Top with 3-4 overlapping slices of apple. Repeat with remaining tarts.
    • Bake for 20 minutes, until pastry is crispy and golden and apples are starting to brown. Remove from the oven.
    • Meanwhile, take any excess honey and warm gently by microwaving in 10 second increments until it is runny. Brush runny honey across the cooked apples as a glaze.
    • Tarts are best served on the same day, warm from the oven or at room temperature.

    Notes

    • Serve as is or with a dollop of crème fraîche or yoghurt on top. These tarts also work well with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

    More Dessert

    • Banoffee Icebox Cake
    • Christmas Eton Mess
    • Mango Sticky Rice
    • Lemon & Thyme Loaf

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Andrea! I'm a self-taught home cook and I love to create food that makes me happy, whether it be wholesome or indulgent (or a little bit of both). Eatnik gives me a little corner of the internet to be able to share my recipes and as a result I hope your feel inspired to recreate them at home.

    • Instagram
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
    • Pinterest
    • Facebook

    Latest posts

    • 10 Dinner Ideas for Easy Weeknight Meals

    • 7 Simple Canapés for Christmas

    • Pea, Zucchini and Mint Salad

    • Basil Lime Soda

    Summer Salads

    • Vietnamese Salad with Poached Chicken

    • Simple summer salad with radish, walnuts and chives
      My go-to simple summer salad

    • Pouring tahini dressing over pumpkin and chickpea salad
      5 Salads of Summer: Roast Pumpkin and Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing

    • Plate of poached coconut chicken salad with herbs
      5 Salads of Summer: Poached Coconut Chicken Salad

    • Chorizo and Herb Potato Salad

    • A platter of roasted root vegetable salad and herb yoghurt dressing
      5 Salads of Summer: Root Vegetable Salad with Herb Yoghurt Dressing

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About Me

    Work with me

    Contact

    Midnight Snack

    Instagram

    TikTok

    YouTube

    Copyright © 2024 Andrea Love