Warm apple tart, caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream make Zunfthaus zur Waag’s Apple Tart a classic Zürich dessert plate. Thin apples, buttery pastry, a glossy caramel finish and a melting scoop of vanilla. Nothing noisy, nothing trendy, just dessert behaving properly.
Photo by SCRR
Copycat Zunfthaus zur Waag Apple Tart
Zunfthaus zur Waag Apple Tart is best matched to the restaurant’s documented Lauwarme Apfeltarte mit Vanilleglacé und Karamellsauce, which translates to lukewarm apple tart with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. The dessert appears in Zunfthaus zur Waag banquet materials, and an Oxbridge Club Zürich event menu held at the restaurant also listed lukewarm apple tart with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream.
The tart should be thin, neat and buttery, with apples that soften but do not collapse into applesauce. Keep the apple slices even, brush them with butter and sugar and serve the tart warm so the caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream do their work. This is not a mile-high American apple pie. Think elegant Swiss dining room, not county fair pie tent.
Quick Recipe Overview
- Best For: Swiss dinners, fall desserts, holiday meals, dinner parties and apple dessert lovers.
- Flavor Profile: Buttery, apple-rich, lightly spiced, caramel-sweet, creamy and elegant.
- Skill Level: Moderate.
- What Makes It Like the Restaurant: A thin warm apple tart, vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce recreate the Zunfthaus zur Waag dessert plate.
Zunfthaus zur Waag
Zunfthaus zur Waag is located on Münsterhof in Zürich, in one of the city’s historic guild houses.
The restaurant describes the experience as dining where people have been eating since 1636, with traditional Zürich flair, top-class gastronomy and a view over Münsterhof. Its menu highlights Swiss and Zürich classics, including Zürcher Geschnetzeltes with butter rösti, along with seasonal dishes and a changing dessert selection.
Warm Apple Tart with Caramel Sauce and Vanilla Ice Cream
A warm apple tart fits the Zunfthaus zur Waag setting because it is polished but familiar. Swiss and German-speaking European desserts often favor fruit, pastry, cream, caramel and ice cream over heavy frosting or giant layer cakes.
The restaurant’s documented version keeps that balance: warm apple tart for fruit and pastry, caramel sauce for richness and vanilla ice cream for the cool creamy finish. It is the sort of dessert that does not need fireworks because it has already paid its taxes and knows its job.
Zunfthaus zur Waag Apple Tart Recipe
Warm apple tart, caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream make Zunfthaus zur Waag’s Apple Tart a classic Zürich dessert plate. Thin apples, buttery pastry, a glossy caramel finish and a melting scoop of vanilla. Nothing noisy, nothing trendy, just dessert behaving properly.
Yield: 6 Servings
Ingredients
Tart
- 1 sheet Frozen Puff Pastry thawed
- 3 firm Apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons Butter melted
- 3 tablespoons Sugar
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed Lemon Juice
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Apricot Jam
Caramel Sauce
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Water
- 3 tablespoons Butter
- 1/3 cup Heavy Cream
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/8 teaspoon Salt
Serving
- Vanilla Ice Cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll puff pastry into a 10-inch square or 10-inch round.
- Place pastry on prepared baking sheet.
- Score a 1/2-inch border around pastry without cutting all the way through.
- Prick center of pastry lightly with a fork.
- Combine apple slices, melted butter, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt in a bowl.
- Arrange apple slices neatly over center of pastry, staying inside scored border.
- Bake until pastry is puffed and golden and apples are tender.
- Warm apricot jam in a small saucepan or microwave.
- Brush warm tart lightly with apricot jam.
- Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Cook without stirring until sugar turns deep amber.
- Remove pan from heat.
- Whisk in butter carefully.
- Slowly whisk in heavy cream.
- Add vanilla extract and salt.
- Return caramel sauce to low heat and stir until smooth.
- Let tart cool until warm, not hot.
- Slice tart into portions.
- Drizzle each serving with caramel sauce.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Related Copycat Recipes
- Cracker Barrel Blackberry Cobbler – Juicy blackberries baked under a golden crust deliver a sweet-tart dessert with classic country flavor.
- Olive Garden Caramel Amaretto Macchiato – Smooth espresso, sweet caramel, and warm amaretto flavor create a rich coffee drink with dessert-like appeal.
- Bob Evans Cherry Cobbler – Tart cherries baked beneath a golden, buttery topping create a warm dessert with bold, fruity flavor.
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Questions People Ask
What is Apfeltarte?
Apfeltarte means apple tart. At Zunfthaus zur Waag, the documented version is served lukewarm with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.
Is this more like apple pie or a thin tart?
It is more like a thin European apple tart than a deep American apple pie.
What apples work best?
Use firm baking apples such as Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Pink Lady or Granny Smith.
Can I use store-bought pastry?
Yes. Good puff pastry or tart dough works well and keeps the recipe manageable.
Should the tart be served warm?
Yes. The documented dessert is described as lukewarm, which works beautifully with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream.
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Photo of “Zunfthaus zur Waag Apple Tart” created by Secret Copycat Restaurant Recipes. Photos may be representative of the recipe and not the actual finished dish. All photo licenses listed were correct at the time of the posting of the page. Recipe is original to Secret Copycat Restaurant Recipes. Recipe created by Secret Copycat Restaurant Recipes based on information from the restaurant and other sources on the internet – many courtesy of the Wayback Machine. Additional Information is from original research done by Secret Copycat Restaurant Recipes and/or courtesy of Wikipedia and is used by permission.
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