CRUST:

1 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1/4 c. cold butter, cut in small pieces
2 tbsp. solid vegetable shortening
3 to 4 tbsp. cold tap water
White from 1 lg. egg

FILLING:

1 lb. medium size Granny Smith apples, peeled, quartered, cored and cut
in thin slices (4 cups)
2/3 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 lg. eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

GLAZE:

1/2 c. apricot preserves

To make crust, mix flour and sugar in a medium size bowl. Cut in butter and shortening with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle water over flour mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring lightly with a fork after each addition to distribute moisture evenly. Press lightly to form a ball. Flatten into a 1 inch thick circle. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate about 1 hour until firm enough to roll. Place oven rack in center of oven; heat to 400 degrees. Have ready a 9 inch tart pan with removeable bottom. On a lightly floured surface with lightly floured rolling pin, roll out dough to an 11 inch diameter circle. Line bottom and sides of tart pan. Prick dough all over with a fork. Press a 12 inch piece of foil snugly into tart shell. Bake 10 minutes or until shell is set but not browned. Remove from oven; carefully lift off foil. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Lightly beat egg white in a small bowl with a fork until slightly foamy. Brush over bottom and sides of shell. Bake 1 minute to set egg white. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack.

To make filling, arrange apple slices slightly overlapping in pinwheel fashion to cover bottom of tart shell. Whisk cream, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a medium size bowl until well blended. Carefully pour over apples. Bake 40 to 45 minutes until custard is set and edges of apples lightly browned. Cool slightly in pan on wire rack. Meanwhile in a small saucepan stir preserves over low heat until melted. Strain, then brush evenly over apples. Cool to room temperature; remove pan rim. Makes 8 servings.