In the spirit of National Pie Day tomorrow, we wanted to give you a delicious recipe for a French apple tart!
This classic tarte aux pommes (French Apple Tart) contains two layers of apples. Compared to the American pie, this tart uses a pâte sucrée (sweet pastry crust) akin to a Sable cookie dough. The apples are glazed with apricot preserves to give it an attractive sheen and to keep the apples moist. This French apple tart can be served warm. Top it with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or crème fraîche.
INGREDIENTS:
Sweet Pastry Crust
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 large egg
Apple Filling:
- 6 firm textured apples (about 2 pounds; 900 grams)
- 3 tablespoons (40 grams) unsalted butter
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup (50-100 grams) granulated white sugar, and confectioners’ sugar for browning the top layer of apples
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Glaze:
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) apricot preserves
- 1 tablespoon Cognac or Calvados
PREPARATION:
Sweet Pastry Crust: Place the butter in a mixer, beating until softened. Add the sugar, beating until fluffy. Add the egg, beating gradually until incorporated. Add flour and salt, mixing to a ball. Flatten the dough into a disk, and refrigerate (until firm) with a plastic wrap cover.
Spread some flour on a surface, and roll out the pastry into an 12 inch (28 - 30 cm) circle about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll with a rolling pin (always outwards) to preserve a uniform thickness and prevent it from sticking.
Place pastry into an 8-inch tart pan with removable bottom. With a small floured piece of pastry, lightly press the pastry into all sides of the pan. With the rolling pin, get rid of any excess pastry. Prick the bottom of dough to prevent it from puffing during baking. Cover and refrigerate (at least 20 minutes).
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) with a rack in center of oven. Use parchment paper or aluminum foil to line the pastry shell. Fill the tart pan with evenly distributed pie weights (or beans) to the top of the pan. Bake the crust for 20 to 25 minutes until crust becomes dry and lightly browned. Remove the weights and let the crust cool.
Apple Tart: For bottom layer of apples: Peel, core, and slice three of the apples. In a large skillet melt 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter and stir in between 2 to 4 tablespoons (25 - 50 grams) of the sugar, the lemon zest, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.
Add the apples and saute over moderate heat, stirring occasionally for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the apples are soft. Gently mash the apples with the back of a spatula or spoon and stir the mixture until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and let cool.
For top layer of apples: Peel, core, and cut the apples into slices 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) thick. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat and stir in the other 2 to 4 tablespoons (25 - 50 grams) sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Add the apples and saute until they begin to soften, approximately 5 minutes. Set the cooked apples aside.
Spoon the applesauce mixture into the cooled pre-baked tart shell. Arrange the apple slices in concentric circles over the applesauce, and brush with 1 or 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Bake the tart on a baking sheet in a preheated 350 degree F (177 degree C) oven for 25 - 30 minutes or until the apples are lightly browned and soft.
To achieve a golden brown and crisp look, remove the tart from the oven and sprinkle it with confectioners’ sugar. Cover the edges with a foil, and put the tart under a preheated broiler, about 4 inches from the heat.
Apricot Glaze: In a small saucepan heat the apricot preserves to a boil. Remove from heat and strain to get rid of lumps. Add a touch of Cognac or water. Brush the top of the finished tart with this glaze and to seal the baked tart shell. Top with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or crème fraîche.
Bon appétit!