Apple Tart With Licorice Sauce

-FOR THE TART-
Flour for rolling out dough
3 Golden Delicious apples
2 tb Melted unsalted butter
3 tb Sugar

FOR THE LICORICE SAUCE
1/2 c Store-bought caramel or
-butterscotch
; sauce
1/2 c Water
2 ts Anise seeds
Ice cream to serve with
-tart; optional

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a food processor, combine the flour with a
pinch of salt. Add the cold butter and pulse the machine 15 to 20
times or until the butter has been cut into the flour in pieces about
the size of oatmeal flakes. Keeping the machine running, add the
water and process, pulsing the machine on and off, for a few seconds
longer or until the dough comes together. Transfer the dough to the
counter. If it is still dry, sprinkle it with a teaspoon or so of
water and work the water into the dough. Flatten the dough into a
disk and chill, preferably overnight, or for at least 2 hours.

TO ROLL OUT THE DOUGH: Lightly flour the counter and roll out the
dough into a circle approximately 12-inches in diameter and about
1/8-inch thick. Transfer the dough to a large baking sheet. Roll up
the edges of the dough with your fingers to form a rim. Dip a fork in
flour and crimp the rim with the fork to form a decorative edge. Then
prick the entire surface of the pastry with the tines of the fork and
refrigerate the dough while you prepare the apples.

TO PREPARE THE TART: Peel the apples and cut them in half, vertically
along the axis of the core. Scoop out the cores. Place apple halves
on a cutting board flat side down then cut the apple halves into
1/8-inch thick slices.

TO BAKE THE TART: Preheat the oven to 400 F. Remove the dough from
the refrigerator. Press overlapping slices of apple in a circle
against the outer rim of the pastry. Then press a second, smaller
circle of overlapping slices inside the larger one and continue this
way until the surface of the pastry is covered with apple slices.
Drizzle the melted butter over the apples and sprinkle the sugar
evenly over the butter. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the
surface of the apples are golden brown.

TO MAKE THE SAUCE: While the tart is baking, transfer the caramel or
butterscotch sauce into a small saucepan and add the water and anise
seeds and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain out the anise seeds.

TO SERVE THE TART: Cool the tart for 10 minutes, then cut it into 6
large slices. Transfer each slice to a plate and drizzle on some of
the sauce. Serve with ice cream and additional licorice sauce.