Recipe for a Classic French Apple Tart
There is something je ne sais quoi about a classic French Apple Tart, actually, that is not true. I know exactly what it is about this French dessert that is so attractive. The fruit is always perfectly cut and artfully arranged. However, the key to a French fruit tart, in my view, is the effect of the glaze – the dessert sparkles. This apple tart is lighter (calories and taste) than a traditional apple pie (my Mom’s recipe is still delicious).
French Apple Tart
Ingredients
For the Pastry:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- pinch kosher salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 12 tbsp unsalted butter cold, cubed
- 1/2 cup ice water
For the Fruit Topping:
- 5 medium apples tart-sweet, crisp, (not Granny Smith)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter cold
- 1/2 cup apricot jam pressed through a sieve
- 2 tbsp Cognac
Instructions
To Make the Pastry:
- Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse once.
- Distribute the butter and pulse 10 times.
- With the motor running, add the ice water and then pulse just until the dough starts to come together.
- Remove and place on a floured board and knead quickly into a ball.
- Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. NOTE: Don’t use foil, as the melted sugars will cause the tart to stick. It will still stick to the parchment in places but will be easier to remove.
- Roll the dough into a 10- by 14-inch rectangle. You can trim it if it isn't perfect, but rough edges give it a rustic look. Place the dough on the prepared sheet pan and refrigerate while you peel and slice the apples.
For the Fruit Topping:
- Peel the apples and cut them in half from top to bottom. Remove the stems and cores with a sharp knife and a melon baller.
- Slice the apples crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices, saving the end pieces to fill gaps or narrow ends.
- Place overlapping slices of apples diagonally down the middle of the tart and continue making diagonal rows on both sides of the first row until the pastry is covered with apple slices.
- Sprinkle evenly the 1/2 cup of sugar.
- Cut the remaining 4 tablespoons of chilled butter into 1/4-inch dice and dot sprinkle over the tart.
- Bake for 45 minutes, until the pastry is browned and the edges of the apples start to brown. The sweetened apple juices may burn in the pan, but the tart will be fine!
- Just before the tart comes out of the oven, heat the apricot jam together with the Cognac. As soon as the tart comes out of the oven, brush it generously over the apples, being careful not to brush the pastry.
- Loosen the edges of the tart with a spatula and transfer to a board.
- Let cool slightly before serving.
Apple Desserts
The smell of French-style apple tarts baking in your kitchen is a temptation enough, but these individual pastries in the pretty flower pattern are impossible to resist. From the kitchen at Mirabeau Wine.
Another Cocoa & Lavender sweet creation for your next dinner party. These little apple tarts (tartlettes) are easy to make and a perfect finish to any meal. The ice cream is optional, but most guest will likely be happy with that addition.
This recipe from Chef Francois de Mélogue turns seasonal apples into the best doughnuts ever. A dessert that no one (or at least no one I know) can resist a homemade apple beignet served with caramel ice cream. It’s slightly fussy to deep-fry the battered apples while your guests are there, but trust me they won’t mind at all.
What could be more fun then serving something that has to flipped upside down in front of your guests? The French apple tarte tatin has maximum wow impact and is something that even a novice chef should attempt.
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