Debbie'S Delicious Apple Tart

• Shortbread Shell for a Sweet Tart
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup unbleached flour
• 1 pinch of salt
• Creamy Tart Filling with Sugared Apples
• 1 - 8 ounces package of cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups thinly sliced apple (Granny Smith is best)
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons orange juice or 1 TBS Gran Marnier
• 1/2 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1. Cream soft but NOT melted butter and sugar together until it is smooth (if using raw sugar it will take a little longer for the butter and sugar to incorporate).
2. Stir in vanilla and salt. minutes). Add flour all at once and stir just until incorporated (do not overmix).
3. Withough handling the dough, spread mixture on butter greased pan and gently press into pan with spoon. Bake in 400 degree oven funtil edges are golden (approximately 8-10 Allow to cool before adding filling.
4. Cream the cream cheese and sugar. Stir in vanilla and salt. .
5. Slowly add eggs and mix until fully incorporated. Poor mixture on top of cooled shortbread shell (see above),
6. Mix brown sugar, orange juice (or Gran Marnier) and pumpkin pie spice.
7. Gently fold in apples being careful to keep the slices intact. Arrange the apples in several rows (one slice just slightly on top of the next slice) on the top of the cream cheese mixture. It looks attractive if you do every other row with the apples placed in the opposite direction.
8. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 25 minutes. Your tart is ready when the cream cheese mixture starts to pull away from the apples

shortbread shell, unsalted butter, sugar, vanilla, flour, salt, filling, cream cheese, granulated sugar, vanilla, eggs, apple, light brown sugar, orange juice, pumpkin pie spice

Taken from food52.com/recipes/10167-debbie-s-delicious-apple-tart (may not work)