Pie + Tart is a whimsical little shop across from the State Theatre in Easton that focuses on small-batch sweet and savory pies and tarts—anything in a crust, really. You won't find a menu when you walk into the space, but rather whatever co-owners Lisa Yelagin and Anne Gerr felt like baking that day. All treats are handmade and centered on what is seasonally available, along with the inclinations of their customers—one of the best-selling quiches is lovingly named after a shop regular. Here, the owners' warm personalities are as much of a draw as the delicious food.
The owners met at the Common Space in Easton, where they each had their own separate businesses—Yelagin with her Two in Hand Pie Cafe & Milk Bar and Gerr with her restaurant, TART. They had both secretly hoped for a partner to open an independent business with, and almost immediately after meeting each other—and a chance encounter with the landlord of the perfect “almost enough space”—Pie + Tart was born. A little over a year since opening, the duo finds themselves laughing more than anyone should at 4 a.m. while baking and rolling dough.
Yelagin, born in Australia, didn't grow up celebrating Thanksgiving, but being here in the States, she will cook a turkey, and her golden dumplings are a staple for dessert. “They are easy and everyone's face lights up when they hear they are being served at the traditional American holiday,” she says. “Golden syrup is made from sugar and has a buttery caramel flavor, so combined with fluffy light dumplings, it is the perfect combination.” Meanwhile, Gerr is originally from Connecticut, so her dessert is a classic apple tart, which is frankly too beautiful to actually eat—well, almost.
Golden Dumplings
Makes 4–6 dumplings
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp. golden syrup
- 3 Tbsp. cold butter, divided
- 1 cup self-rising flour
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 2 Tbsp. milk
Place water, sugar, golden syrup and 1 Tbsp. of butter into a medium saucepan on stove. Bring to a gentle simmer.
While the syrup is warming, make dough by rubbing the remaining 2 Tbsp. of butter into the self-rising flour, then mix egg with milk and stir into flour to make a soft, wettish dough. Divide dough roughly into 4 large (or 6 smaller) equal balls, being careful to not overwork. Drop balls into simmering syrup. Cover and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream and/or pouring cream.
Note: Golden syrup is available in the Ireland & United Kingdom section of Wegmans.
Apple Tart
Tart Shell
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 10 Tbsp. cold butter cut into pieces, plus more for greasing the tart pan
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp. cold water, give or take
Apples
- 3 medium crisp apples
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. flour
- 3 Tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces
- Pinch of salt
- 3–4 Tbsp. apricot jam
Make the crust first, as it needs to chill before you fill and bake it. This chilling/resting time will help prevent the shell from shrinking. Butter a 9-inch tart pan so it's ready when it's time to put your dough in.
Combine the dry ingredients (flour, powdered sugar and salt) in a food processor with the metal blade and pulse to stir together.
Add the cold butter pieces and pulse again until the butter pieces are about the size of peas. At this point, turn it out into a bowl and finish by hand. Or, you can continue in the food processor if you prefer, just be careful not to overprocess, as that will lead to a tough crust.
Add the vanilla extract to the egg yolk and then mix into the dry ingredients. Add the cold water a teaspoon at a time until the mixture just holds together. It will be crumbly, but if pressed between your fingers, it should hold its shape.
Turn the dough into the prepared tart pan and press evenly on the bottom and up the sides. Prick the bottom in a few places with a fork and place it in the freezer to chill and rest—20 minutes is fine; an hour is even better. Save any little bits of dough, if you have any, to press into the shell if it cracks during the “blind bake.”
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Line the tart shell with a piece of aluminum foil large enough to lightly cover the edges. It helps to pour in baking weights if you have them, but dried beans or rice will work, too. Bake the shell for 20–25 minutes, or until the dough appears dry and lightly golden. Remove the foil and the weights carefully—they're hot! If you need to, repair any cracks with the bits of reserved raw dough. Allow to cool while you prepare the apples.
You can peel the apples or not, as you like. Cut the apples off the core in three pieces so there's a nice flat side to lay on the cutting board. Slice thinly so they will be somewhat bendable. Put the apples in a bowl with the lemon juice and add half the sugar.
Once the apples are sliced, you're ready to fill the shell. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. of flour and 1 Tbsp. of sugar on the bottom of the blind-baked tart shell. Then, beginning on the outside, lay the apple slices in a tight spiral, overlapping each slice about halfway over its neighbor. Place the apples up vertically, with the cut edge down and the peel edge facing up—if you left the peels on, it can be very pretty. Pack the apple slices close together so it's quite dense, and use the littlest pieces in the middle.
Scatter the butter pieces on top, sprinkle with the salt and remaining sugar. Bake the tart for 40–45 minutes or until the apples begin to brown just slightly on the edges and the crust is a lovely, golden brown. Check the tart at 20 minutes and again at 35 minutes to make sure the shell is not getting too dark on the edge.
If it is, cover the edges with long strips of foil.
Cool the tart on a rack for 10–15 minutes, then heat the apricot jam and a few drops of water in a microwave-safe bowl. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the warm apples—not the crust—with jam.
It's delicious warm or at room temperature, simply dusted with powdered sugar, with a nice dollop of whipped cream or even ice cream.
Pie + Tart | 444 Northampton St., Easton | 484.202.0235 | 2inhand.com | instagram.com
