Apple pie tart with a shortbread crust and shortbread leaf topping

In a stand mixer, put three sticks of unsalted butter, a cup of granulated sugar, a little salt and two teaspoons of vanilla extract; mix until fluffy.

Add three and a half cups of all-purpose flour a little at a time, scraping down the bowl, and mix on low until a dough forms.

Make a second batch of the shortbread dough the same way; wrap one batch in plastic wrap and set aside.

Cut the other batch into two equal portions and press one into each pan, up the sides, pinching off excess with thumb and index finger for a defined edge and pressing the scraps into an even layer; in a springform go about three quarters of the way up.

Set the pans on a baking tray and chill in the freezer, 30 to 40 minutes or up to an hour if baking the same day; they can be frozen two to three weeks ahead.

Lightly flour the work surface and roll out the reserved dough up to half an inch thick, not too thin or it burns; cut out leaves with floured cookie cutters, or cut strips.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Fill the chilled crusts with room-temperature or cold apple pie filling.

Top with strips of shortbread and a border of leaves, or cover the top with leaves starting from the center; sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Bake on the center rack for about 45 minutes to an hour, up to an hour and 15 minutes, watching that it does not over-brown; rotate the pans. These took an hour and five minutes.

variation: cut the remaining shortbread into leaf cookies and bake them off after the tarts.

Cool at room temperature in the pans at least 30 minutes, ideally hours, so the pie sets and releases cleanly; give it about an hour before cutting.