French Apple Tart
- Sujata Ayer
- Jul 18, 2020
- 3 min read
With a crispy, flaky, buttery tart crust and the simplest of ingredients!
I don't know about you, but I used to feel a bit intimidated every time I heard the term "French Dessert"! Now having finally tried my hand at a few recipes from the land of the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre, I can venture out and say that all the French dessert recipes I have tried so far have been some of the easiest to make! This French Apple Tart recipe is another one that uses basic ingredients that beautifully come together to give you a top class dessert.
Make your pie dough for the tart base ahead of time as you will need to refrigerate it for at least one hour before using.
This recipe once again underlines my love for the homemade pie crust. It is one of the easiest things to put together and can be used to make a variety of dishes depending on your liking. I am now comfortable enough to make this pie dough every week and store it in my refrigerator for preparing a meal or a dessert at least twice a week.
The French Apple Tart surprised me when I looked at the simplicity of the preparation and the gorgeous taste together. With just brown sugar, butter and some jam to accentuate the flavours of the apple, the tart brings you great joy with every bite.
FOR THE PIE DOUGH / TART BASE
INGREDIENTS
(will make you enough for two batches)
2.5 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
About 225 grams of cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 egg
3 tbsp of ice cold water (+1 tbsp at a time up to a maximum of total 7 tbsp)
METHOD
In a large bowl, add the flour and salt. Mix together with a fork.
Add the cubed butter (should be cold and not soft) and use a knife and the fork to cut the butter into the flour. Do not knead with hands.
Once the butter pieces have broken down into smaller bits, use your fingers to gently rub the butter pieces into the flour.
Beat 1 egg lightly and pour it into your bowl.
Using a large spoon, mix the egg into the flour to bring it roughly together.
Add the ice cold water (3 tbsp first) and continue to bring together with the spoon to form a rough dough.
Add 1 tbsp ice cold water at a time additionally till you get your dough together in shape. I usually end up using about 6 tbsp of ice cold water. The dough will appear rough and just a bit crumbly (the egg helps keep it together).
Wrap the dough preferably in cling film and refrigerate for at least one hour before using. I usually cut out half the dough for the tart and refrigerate both portions separately to make it faster to work with later.
FOR THE FRENCH APPLE TART
INGREDIENTS
Pie dough (half of the portion mentioned above)
2 small apples
50 grams butter
2 tbsp brown sugar
Orange jam or any other fruit jam (optional)
METHOD
Grease your parchment paper lined baking dish (i used a 10 x 10 inches dish).
Preheat your oven to 200 C.
Let your pie dough thaw on the kitchen counter for about 5 minutes.
In the meantime, peel, core and slice your apples into roughly 1/4 cm thick slices.
Roll out the dough into a rough square of about 1/4 inch thickness.
Roughly cut out the square to fit your baking dish, if rolled out too wide. Put the remaining dough away in the refrigerator for later.
Place the rolled out dough on the baking dish and use a fork to poke the dough at scattered spots.
Place the apple slices along diagonal lines all over the base.
Sprinkle the brown sugar all over.
Dot the baking dish with small pieces of butter and jam (if using) all over.
Use a fork to lightly crimp the edges of the base and spread some egg wash (lightly beaten egg) on the edges of the base.
Bake at 200 C for 45 - 50 minutes.
Pull out of the oven and let cool before cutting and serving.
I hope you enjoyed this recipe.
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