From Chef Charlie Palmer 

Recipe Serves: 6

A Note from Chef Palmer:

I call these handheld tarts because they are so easy to pick up and eat, but there is no reason you can’t bring them to the table on a plate, particularly if you garnish them with a scoop of ice cream. I like the rich flavor of the boiled cider syrup, but if you can’t find it, apple syrup or maple syrup will do just fine.

Ingredients

• 1 large organic apple

• 6 sheets phyllo (filo) pastry

• ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted

• 3 tablespoons boiled cider, apple, or pure maple syrup

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• About 2 tablespoons white sanding sugar

• Cinnamon or vanilla ice cream, for serving, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick silicone liner or parchment paper.
2. Peel the apple and, using a sharp knife, trim off each end. Using a Japanese mandoline slicer (see Note), cut the apple into paper-thin slices. Wrap the apple slices in a damp paper towel and set aside.
3. Remove the 6 sheets of phyllo dough from the package and immediately cover them with a damp kitchen towel.
4. Combine the melted butter with the syrup and cinnamon, stirring to blend completely.
5. Working with one sheet of the phyllo at a time while keeping the remaining sheets covered, use a pastry brush to generously coat one piece of pastry with the melted butter mixture. Top with another sheet and continue to butter and stack until all of the pastry sheets have been used.
6. Using a pizza cutter, cut the stacked dough into 6 equal pieces. Transfer the pastry pieces to the prepared baking sheet.
7. Unwrap the apple slices and lightly coat 16 to 20 slices with the remaining butter mixture. Working with one at a time, carefully place 4 or 5 apple slices, buttered side up, in a single layer on top of each piece of pastry. The number of slices required will depend upon the size of your apple; if large enough, 4 slices should do it. Sprinkle the top of each tart with sanding sugar.
8. Bake the tarts for about 12 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the apple slices are slightly turned on the edges and touched with color.
9. Serve hot, with a scoop of ice cream, if desired.

Note: A Japanese mandoline slicer (also known as a Benriner) is an inexpensive tool that cuts vegetables and fruits into slices of varying thickness. It has three different blades that create uniform slices that range from paper-thin to chunky. Indispensable for fine cuts, it usually sells for less than $50.00. The more expensive French mandoline works in the same fashion.