Irish celebrity chef John Howard's apple and Jameson tart recipe marries two  Irish favorites.

The Irish love an apple pie! There's nothing better than the traditional short-crust pastry apple pie with a dollop of ice cream on the side, just like Mammy made it. However, Irish celebrity chef John Howard's apple and Jameson tart really takes it to the next level. 

What a treat! 

Apple and Jameson tart recipe

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

- 250g shortcrust pastry

- 50g ground almonds

- 4 large Bramley apples, peeled and diced

- 2 tablespoons sugar

- 250ml cream

- 3 egg yolks

- 50g caster sugar

- Dash of whiskey

Method:

Set oven Gas Mark 6, 200°C (400°F).

Line four individual tart tins with the pastry. Sprinkle some ground almonds on the base of each one. Then add the apple and enough sugar to sweeten. Heat the cream. Beat the egg yolks and sugar together. Stir in the cream and a dash of whiskey. Spoon a little of the cream mixture into each tart. Keep remaining cream. Bake tarts for 25-35 minutes.

Pour the remaining cream into a bowl. Place over simmering water. Stirring constantly, and continue to cook until the custard thickens. Set aside - keep warm

Serving suggestions

Serve the tart, dusted with icing sugar, with the warm custard. Vanilla ice cream, thin almond biscuits, raspberries, etc. are optional.

Chef John Howard

John Howard was quite possibly Ireland's first celebrity chef. For 25 years he and his wife, Catherine, ran Le Coq Hardi restaurant, in Dublin 4, in 1977. It was one of the best-known dining locations in the country. Le Coq Hardi was known for its great food, expensive wine and for being where the captains of industry dined on lavish expense accounts mixed in with a little hanky panky.

In early 2000, he retired, sold the premises to a wine company, and moved to Spain to consult with Bord Bia.

* Originally published in 2015, updated in September 2024.