Description
This Easy French Apple Tart, or Tarte Fine Aux Pommes, is a delicate and elegant dessert featuring thinly sliced apples layered on a flaky all-butter puff pastry base. Glazed with a light apricot or marmalade preserve, this tart offers a perfect balance of buttery, sweet, and fruity flavors, ideal for a sophisticated yet simple treat that can be served warm or at room temperature.
Ingredients
Puff Pastry
- 1 sheet all-butter puff pastry
Filling
- 4 apples (e.g., Granny Smith)
- 15 g unsalted butter, melted
- 15 g granulated sugar (or light brown/brown sugar)
Glaze
- 15 g preserve (apricot or marmalade)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Place a baking tray on the middle rack to heat as well while you prepare the tart.
- Cut the puff pastry disc: Unroll the puff pastry sheet onto a parchment-lined surface. Using a 25 cm (10 inch) diameter plate or tart pan base, cut around it with a sharp knife to form a circle. Dock the pastry base thoroughly with a fork to prevent excessive puffing during baking.
- Slice apples: Peel and core the apples if preferred. Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, slice the apples thinly into rounds. Remove any seeds. If using a knife and slicing whole apples is difficult, cut them in halves first for easier slicing.
- Arrange apple slices: Layer the apple slices overlapping in a concentric circular pattern starting from the outer edge of the puff pastry, then fill in the center with another ring of apples.
- Prepare for initial bake: Brush half of the melted butter evenly over the apples. Sprinkle half of the sugar over the buttered apples. Carefully lift the prepared tart on the parchment paper and transfer it onto the preheated baking tray. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Add remaining butter and sugar, finish baking: After 15 minutes, remove the tart from the oven and gently brush the remaining melted butter over the apples. Sprinkle the remaining sugar evenly on top. Return the tart to the oven and continue baking for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until the puff pastry is golden brown. Remove and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- Glaze the apples: Add one teaspoon of boiling water to the apricot or marmalade preserve and stir until smooth and molten. Brush this glaze over the warm apples to give the tart a beautiful sheen and a touch of sweetness. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Peeling the apples is optional and depends on personal preference.
- Type of apples can vary; Granny Smiths provide tartness, while sweeter apples offer a milder flavor.
- Docking the pastry is important to avoid puffing up excessively in the oven.
- The preserve glaze not only enhances flavor but also adds a beautiful glossy finish.
- The tart is best enjoyed within the same day but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Use all-butter puff pastry for the best flavor and flakiness.
