A Traditional French Tartes Aux Pommes Recipe using a frangipane filling and an apricot glaze
Ingredients:
For the Pastry:
150g plain white flour
2 tablespoons caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons cold butter
3 tablespoons cold water
For the Filling:
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
50g caster sugar
50g ground almonds
1 egg
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon plain white flour
3-4 sweet-tart cooking apples, cored, peeled, and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons water
110g apricot jam
How to make this classic French Apple Tart:
- In a food processor, mix the flour, sugar, and salt.
- Then on pulse setting, cut the chilled butter into the flour until it resembles coarse sand.
- Sprinkle the cold water onto the mixture and mix a few times gently by hand, just until it forms a ball that holds together.
- Squash it slightly into a thick disk shape for a round tart and a square one for an oblong tart. Wrap in cling film, and chill for a few hours.
- To make the frangipane cream together the sugar and butter till light and fluffy, then add the ground almonds. Once combined, add the egg and vanilla essence and beat together for a few minutes then add the tablespoon of flour.
- Preheat an oven to 200c.
- Take the dough from the fridge and roll out on a lightly floured surface to make a circle/oblong large enough to fit your tart pan.
- Fit this into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
- Now chill the pastry for a further 20 minutes in the fridge.
- Take it out of the fridge and place it on a baking sheet.
- Spread the frangipane evenly over the bottom of the chilled pastry shell. Arrange the apple slices in a fan or spiral shape over the frangipane and bake the tart for 12 to 15 minutes until it begins to turn golden brown.
- Reduce the heat to 180c and continue cooking for 15 to 20 minutes until the apples are tender, but not overly soft.
- While this is cooking make the apricot glaze by warming the jam and the 3 tablespoons of water together till smooth.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the apple tart to cool for 10 minutes.
- Brush the apricot glaze over the warm apples and allow the tart to cool to room temperature before serving. This classic French Apple Tart goes so well with a scoop of good quality vanilla ice-cream.
