Apple Custard Tart of Roses

Here's a wonderful recipe translated from Bulgarian with some alterations on my part. I love finding these interesting and exquisite recipes that are not found in English, because there's a certain feeling of specialty that comes with it. If I ever travel overseas, it will be to Europe to try all the delightful foods that are not commonly found in English speaking countries. There's something so good about European food, the way they cook, and the unprocessed ingredients used. You have no idea how tired I am of hearing the words "cool whip", "canned scone dough" and so forth when I look for recipes on the web. What is this stuff? What's in it? (did you know you can even get canned crispy bacon, and canned cheeseburgers? Yummy?)
It's refreshing to be able to make everything from scratch that doesn't involve any over-processed consumables.
This apple custard tart is delightfully European. It's laced with sweet white wine, and has wonderful zesty orange hints throughout, and boasts a shortbread crust, and an arrangement of pinkened apple rosettes on the top. Brushed with jam and cooked to golden perfection, this lovely tart is best served warm with a drizzling of thickened cream.

APPLE CUSTARD TART OF ROSES (Adapted From Delicious With Jolien)

Pastry:
125g butter, softened
3/4 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp orange rind, grated
1 egg
100g ground almond (almond meal)
1 1/2 cups plain flour

Custard:
4 tbsp corn flour (corn starch)
6 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp orange rind, grated
3 egg yolks
400mls milk
100ml white wine (I used Moscato)

5-6 apples (I used Pink Lady apples)
1 tsp fruit jam (I used strawberry jam)

To make the pastry dough, place butter and sugar, vanilla and orange rind in a large bowl and incorporate briefly with the beaters. Add egg and almond meal and lightly beat again until the egg has broken down and is mixed through the butter. Add the flour and knead into a soft dough.
Spread into a greased and floured 24cm round flan dish. Using your fingers, press evenly into the base and up the sides of the flan dish. Refrigerate.
Meanwhile to make the custard filling, place the corn flour, sugar, vanilla and orange rind together in a medium saucepan. Add the yolks and a little milk and bring to a smooth, paste-like consistency. Place on a medium-high heat, and add the remaining milk and the wine. Whisking continuously, bring the custard to the boil and then for a further few minutes to thicken. (Custard will also thicken further in the oven).
Set the custard aside in a medium bowl to cool.
Heat the oven at 180C.
Take the apples and wash them. Using a potato peeler, make strips of apple form the peel and the flesh. The larger and wider the strips, the better.
When the custard has cooled, pour it into the base. Begin arranging the apple strips into rose shapes on the custard. (I found it helpful to start building the centre few layers of the rose in my hand before placing it in the custard, then building around it with larger strips. See photos below for a visual)
When the whole surface of the custard is covered in rose shapes, brush the top gently with a little warmed jam. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the crust is golden and the apples have browned.

Serves 8-10

Building an apple peel rose: