French Apple Tart with Puff Pastry and Calvados Cream
User Reviews
5
French Apple Tart with Puff Pastry and Calvados Cream
Description
This French Apple Tart uses all-butter puff pastry as a flaky, golden crust topped with thin slices of tart Granny Smith apples. The apples are brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with sugar before baking, which caramelizes slightly to add sweetness and texture. An optional apricot jam glaze imparts a glossy finish enhancing the tart's visual appeal and adding subtle fruitiness.
The accompanying Calvados Cream is made by gently whisking whipping cream with mascarpone and adding Calvados apple brandy just as it thickens. This cream is light yet rich, with a hint of apple spirit that complements the tart's fruitiness and buttery crust.
Serve slices of the tart with a spoonful of the Calvados Cream for a balanced dessert where crisp pastry meets tender apples and smooth cream. This tart also pairs well with crème fraîche or ice cream as alternate toppings.
The recipe suggests soaking apple slices briefly in lemon water to prevent browning and offers variations using pears and dark chocolate chips. Weighing ingredients with a kitchen scale is recommended for best results.
Ingredients
for the Apple Tart
- 1 g packet puff pastry or thawed if frozen, ready-made, all-butter
- 2 apple organic, Granny Smith variety
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 30 g (2 tbsp) butter melted, unsalted
- 1 tablespoon apricot jam optional - to glaze
Calvados Cream
- 140 ml (5oz/¾ cup) whipping cream no less than 30% fat
- 60 ml (2oz/¼ cup) mascarpone cream
- 2 tablespoon calvados (or Pommeau de Normandie)*
Instructions
For the Apple Tart:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/180°C fan/Gas 6.
- If the puff pastry isn't already rolled, roll out the pastry to about 5mm (¼") thickness in either a rectangular or round shape. Place on a baking sheet covered with baking paper.
- Peel and core the Granny Smith apples and slice them as thinly as possible using a good, sharp knife. Quickly arrange them in rows on the pastry, leaving a small space (1cm) in from the edge.(If you're worried about them browning, prepare a bowl of a little water with lemon juice and steep the slices in it first).
- Melt the butter and brush on top of the apples. Scatter with a little sugar and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until golden.Optional: if you like your apple tart to shine, melt a little apricot jam in the microwave and brush over once baked and still warm.
Calvados Cream:
- In a chilled bowl, whisk the whipping cream with the mascarpone and add the Calvados or Pommeau towards the end, just as the cream thickens.
Notes
- To prevent apple slices from browning, briefly soak them in water with lemon juice before arranging on pastry.
- If apricot jam is desired, warm it and brush over the baked tart to add shine and subtle sweetness.
- Pommeau de Normandie can be used as a lighter substitute for Calvados in the cream topping.
- For a no-alcohol option, consider serving with crème fraîche or no-churn plombières ice cream as accompaniments.
- The tart also works well with pears and a sprinkle of dark chocolate chips as a variation.
- Using digital scales for ingredient measurements ensures precision, especially for the pastry and cream components.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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