• The night before, prepare half a batch of vegan whipped cream substitute, if using. (See notes for link.)

For the shortbread crust:

• Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl.
• Add cubed margarine and knead with your hands until the margarine is incorporated.
• Add water and knead into a smooth dough.
• Shape into a disk and wrap in plastic foil.
• Refrigerate for at least one hour.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 160°C.
• Remove dough from fridge and roll the dough out thinly. (About ½cm.) It's easier to roll out between two sheets of plastic wrap but you can also sprinkle it with flour.
• Use the tart rings to cut out your tartlet bottoms. Put the dough disks on the baking sheet and place the rings on top. Make sure they fit precisely.
• Now cut out 8 long strips which will be the sides of your tartlets.
• Carefully press the dough strips into the tartlet ring sides and cut off any excess dough.
• Use a fork to poke holes into the bottoms so the dough will keep its shape during baking. You can also use baking weights for blind baking.
• Bake for about 25 minutes until the dough has a light golden-brown colour.
• Let cool and remove from the rings. (If the dough is baked prperly, it should fall out right away.)

To make the filling:

• While the tartlets are baking, combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the apples are soft and start to fall apart a bit (about 15 minutes). Let cool.
• Put the filling into the tartlets.
• If using, transfer the vegan whipped cream substitute into a piping bag with a star tip and pipe on top of the filling.
• Serve immediately or store in the fridge. The tartlets will keep for up to three days. (Although the vegan whipped cream substitute tends to dry out quickly.)