Apple Tart
User Reviews
5
Apple Tart
Description
To create the Apple Tart, a shortcrust pastry is made by pulsing flour, sugar, cubed cold butter, and salt together, then adding enough cold water to bring the dough together. After resting and chilling, the dough is rolled out and pressed into a prepared tart pan, trimmed, and refrigerated to firm up. This process ensures a crisp and flaky tart shell.
The filling involves cooking peeled, cored, and diced apples with a split vanilla pod, superfine sugar, butter, and water until soft. These are puréed into a smooth, fragrant filling that is spread evenly over the chilled pastry. Thin slices of preferably Golden Delicious apples are arranged on top, brushed with melted butter, and sprinkled with sugar to aid caramelization.
Baking the tart at a high temperature briefly partially cooks the pastry before adding the filling, then continues until the fruit topping is tender and the crust golden brown. The finished tart balances the buttery pastry, the sweet and slightly tart apple layers, and the vanilla aroma. It is traditionally served with cold light cream or half-and-half, enhancing the rich textures and mellow apple flavors.
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for the pan and work surface
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 7 tablespoons butter cold and cut into cubes, plus more for the pan, unsalted
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 to 6 tablespoons water cold
For the apple purée
- 3 (about 1 3/4 lbs) apple peeled, cored, and diced, any variety
- 1 vanilla pod split lengthways
- 2 to 4 tablespoons superfine sugar (or just blitz granulated sugar in a blender until finely ground but not powdery)
- 2 teaspoons butter unsalted
- 3 to 4 tablespoons water cold
For the apple tart
- 3 apple preferably Golden Delicious or other not-too-sweet, not-too-tart apples
- 1 tablespoon butter melted, unsalted
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- light cream to serve, cold or half-and-half
Instructions
Make the pastry
- Place the flour, sugar, butter, and salt in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is just combined (somewhere between 5 and 10 pulses). Add 4 tablespoons water and pulse just until the dough holds together. If necessary, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse just until the dough begins to clump. Wrap the dough in waxed paper and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes.
- Let the dough rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Butter and lightly flour an 11- or 10-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom.
- Roll out the pastry dough on a lightly floured work surface to a circle slightly larger than the prepared tart pan. Transfer the dough to the pan, gently pressing the dough into the edges, and trim the edges by running a rolling pin over the top of the tart pan, using the edge of the pan as a cutting surface. Let the excess pastry fall away. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until firm.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
- Prick the pastry base all over with the tines of a fork. Line the pastry with parchment paper and fill it with baking weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the parchment and weights, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more, until golden. Let cool to room temperature.
Make the apple purée
- Place the diced apples, vanilla pod, sugar, butter, and 3 tablespoons water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook gently, stirring often, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the apples are softened, adding more water if necessary to keep the apples from scorching.
- Remove the vanilla pod and use the tip of a small sharp knife to scrape the vanilla seeds directly into the mixture. Discard the pod. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and purée until smooth.
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
Assemble the apple tart
- Spread the apple purée evenly over the pastry. Peel, core, and slice the apples 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Arrange the apple slices in a neat circle around the edge; they should be slightly overlapping. Repeat to create an inner circle, trimming the slices slightly so that they fit, going in the opposite direction from the outer circle. Brush the apples with the melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake for 25 to 45 minutes, until the apples are just tender and very lightly browned. (The dramatic difference in timing depends on the thickness and the type of apples you choose. If the apples haven’t browned by the time they're tender, run the tart under the broiler for a minute or so.)
- Let the tart cool slightly. Remove the sides of the pan and slice and serve the tart warm with cream or half-and-half.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6to 8 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 337 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1slice | |
| Calories | 337kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 44g | 15% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 17g | 26% |
| Saturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 44mg | 15% |
| Sodium | 199mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 17g | 34% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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