A Muse in My Kitchen
French Apple Tart
Surgery is a week away and this weekend, I just wanted to play in my kitchen as I know I soon will be learning to ‘let go’ as my Hubby and daughter take over preparing meals. We were headed to our friend’s house for dinner and I wanted to bring something special for dessert. Hubby was rallying for apple pie – but I wanted something different – something fancy.
And I found fancy in this wonderful recipe! It’s got all the flavors of Fall and tart apples in a buttery crust. It’s easy to make but a little time consuming as you wait for the dough to chill twice but it’s fun as you shape the apples into a beautiful pattern on top.
It makes such a beautiful presentation!
Don’t be intimidated by the crust. It’s easy to prepare with only three ingredients: flour, butter and salt.
Place all in a food processor, pulse until crumbly and add a few tablespoons of ice cold water until moist. Pat dough into a disk and refrigerate for an hour.
Once the dough is chilled, roll out into a 13″ inch circle and place over an 11″ tart pan. Using fingertips, shape the dough into the pan and crimp off the extra dough with the edge of your rolling pin.
Peel and core about 7 – 8 apples. (I use Jonathan apples, but any baking apple that will hold it’s shape will do.) Cut apples in half and slice thinly while still holding the shape of the half of apple in your other hand.
Gently fan the apples overlapping slightly. Overlap apples to make a pretty presentation and design. Be creative!
I followed the pattern as outlined by the Fete blog making a rose like shape in the middle. Be generous with the apples!
Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar – dot with butter. Bake at 375 degrees for about an hour.
Brush with an apricot rum glaze and VOILA – a pretty pastry full of apples on a buttery crust!
What I was making a year ago – PUMPKIN BREAD!
- 1¼ cups flour, plus more for dusting
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 7-8 baking apples, peeled, cored, and halved
- ⅓ cup sugar with a shake a cinnamon combined
- ½ cup apricot jam
- 2 tbs. rum
- Combine flour, 8 tablespoons butter, and salt in a food processor and pulse until pea-size crumbles form, about 10 pulses.
- Drizzle in 3 tablespoons ice-cold water and pulse until dough is moistened, about 3-4 pulses.
- If dough seems too dry, drizzle in additional water 1 teaspoon at a time until dough is sufficiently wet.
- Transfer dough to a work surface and form into a flat disk; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Unwrap dough and transfer to to a lightly floured work suface.
- Using a rolling pin, flatten dough into a 13″ circle and then transfer to a 11″ tart pan with a removable bottom.
- Using fingertips, lightly press dough into the bottom and sides of tart pan.
- Using a rolling pin, gently press down on top edge of tart pan to trim excess dough.
- Chill for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, heat oven to 375°F.
- Working with one apple half at a time, make thin crosswise slices while holding the shape of the apple half with your other hand.
- Gently move the slices to the crust and make a pattern with the apples overlapping so there are no gaps of crust showing through.
- Once tart shell is completely filled with apples, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and dot with remaining 4 tablespoons of butter.
- Bake until golden brown, 60-70 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat apricot jam and rum in a small saucepan until warmed and thin.
- Pour through a fine strainer into a small bowl and set aside.
- Transfer tart to a wire rack; using a pastry brush, brush top of tart with jam rum glaze.
- Let cool completely before slicing. Serve with creme fraiche, ice cream, or whipped cream.
