Caramel Apple Ice Cream Tartes

     Because this recipe includes a type of pie crust, I was originally going to post this for Pie Monday, but then I decided that that would be too loose of a definition for pie. So it's something different, but wonderful. It's like taking all the delicious qualities of ice cream and pie and merging them to create a super hybrid dessert. The original recipe takes a good chunk of time to prepare because of all the different components, but that just means that in the end, you'll be even more proud of your work. Being the cookaholic and overachiever that I am, I decided to double this recipe and make it for all of my housemates for a Wednesday dinner, and of course that meant getting started early. On Tuesday at 10 p.m.
     But honestly, I don't mind the long hours in the kitchen at all. Considering my other option, a mountain of homework, it's really where I'd rather be. Instead of pouring over books about theoretical and mildly interesting but useless subjects, I'd rather be creating something that'll make someone happy.  I love to cook, both for the satisfaction of taking a bunch of mostly inedible single ingredients (butter, sugar, flour) and manipulating them into something delicious that'll bring joy to others. Every recipe is like a magical transformation. Corny, but true. The other reason I enjoy the process as much as the result is because when I'm in the kitchen, it's like the rest of the world doesn't exist. I can take a break from the stress of the day, focus on a single task with a tangible result, and enjoy the quiet time to myself. In school, so much of what I do seems to have no point, but cooking is one thing that always does If you don't do your homework, the world won't end, but you've go to eat.
     This realization of my true passion has made me think lately, that maybe graduate school and the academic life isn't for me. Sure, I know how to write research papers, but if doing it is like pulling teeth every time and I'd rather flee to the kitchen, maybe that means something. So I told my academic advisor that I was starting to think about a culinary career, and she actually didn't laugh at me, so that's a start. Instead, she recommended that I read celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain's books, in which he uses his charming cynicism to discourage 99% of people from going down that road. But because of that other 1% (and because he may or may not be my old man crush) I decided to read it. And I couldn't put it down. Just based on the fact that there was at least one F-word on every page, I knew after the first chapter that I was gonna love it. It's hilarious, so check it out!

Now that I got all the tangents out of the way, it's time for dessert!

INGREDIENTS: (makes 6 individual tart shells)
1 3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 sticks of cold butter, cubed
2/3 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons butter
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans

1/2 stick of butter
1/2 cup brown sugar

2 pints of vanilla ice cream, softened (To go the extra mile and make your own, click here and just skip the cookie dough.)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and spray the bottom and sides of your little tart pans.
2. Toast the pecans on a cookie sheet for 10 minutes.

3. Use either a pastry cutter or a food processor to combine the butter, flour, and powdered sugar for the crust. It's ready when the pieces of butter are the size of little pebbles. Yo may have to add a tiny splash of cold water.

 4. Take a few tablespoons of dough and press it around the bottom and up the sides of each pan. Unlike a real pie crust, a tart crust is not rolled out first.

5. Bake the crusts at 350 for about 30 minutes, The let them cool in the pans before removing them very carefully. When you do, the edges should remain intact.

6. Chop the apples, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a frying pan, and cook the apples and pecans over medium heat. After a few minutes, add the cinnamon and brown sugar and continue to cook until caramelized, about 7 minutes. Cool completely.

7. When the apples are cool and the ice cream is softened, put the ice cream in a large tupperware container and use an ice cream scoop to mix in the apples. Smooth out the top and re-freeze for at least 2 hours.

8. (Optional) If you have extra pie dough, use your hands to work it together like a traditional pie crust and roll it out in between two pieces of plastic wrap. Find a small cookie cutter to cut out little shapes to use for decoration. Bake them at 350 for about 7 minutes.

9. When you're ready to serve, make sure you let the ice cream sit out to soften again, so you get perfect scoops. Plop 2 small scoops in the middle of each crust and stick a cookie or 2 in the top.

10. To make the caramel, melt the butter and brown sugar in a pot over medium heat and stir until bubbly. You may have seen this sentence before. It's my all-purpose caramel sauce recipe. Watch the transformation:

11. Finish each tart with a drizzle of caramel and enjoy!

My goal is to have my last catch-up post done before noon, so come back for an easy but elegant dinner  idea!