Apple Tarts
“I feel like baking something.”
“Like what?”
“Mmm, we’ve got a heap of apples sitting around… maybe apple tarts?”
That’s pretty much how the conversation with Arnaud went. I have a sneaky suspicion I’ve developed a sweet tooth over time. Now, whenever I see fruit, instead of just eating it raw, I’m plotting how to turn it into dessert! Feeling inspired and full of energy, I thought, *why not go all out*? Let’s make everything from scratch—including the pastry!
I dusted off my copy of *Pastry – Savoury & Sweet* by Michel Roux, which has been staring at me from the bookshelf for ages. After flipping through, I landed on the apple tart recipe. It looked simple enough (famous last words), so I decided to give it a whirl.
From experience, it’s a huge time-saver to prep the pâte brisée (shortcrust pastry) and apple compote beforehand. That way, when it’s time to assemble, you can focus on arranging those apple slices—definitely a test of patience! I tried to layer them all in one direction for a neat look, which took some time, but it’s worth it for that perfect finish.
The original recipe makes one big, beautiful 24cm tart, but I opted for small tartlets (because they’re adorable). If you’re going mini too, make sure you’ve got enough tartlet tins so you can bake them all in one go and savour them straight from the oven!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
Pâte Brisée: (makes about 450g)
250g plain flour
150g butter, cut into small pieces and slightly softened
1 tsp fine salt
pinch of caster sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp cold milk
Apple Tart:
300g pâte brisée
850g dessert apples (such as Cox’s)
1 vanilla pod
60 butter
80g caster sugar
Method:
1. Heap the flour on a work surface and make a well. Put in the butter, salt, sugar and egg. Using your fingertips, mix and cream these ingredients together. Little by little, draw in the flour, working the dough delicately until it has a grainy texture.
2. Add the milk and incorporate gently with your fingertips until the dough begins to hold together. Using the palm of your hand, work the dough by pushing it away from you 4 or 5 times until it is smooth. Roll it into a ball, wrap in cling film and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Roll out the pastry to a round, 3mm thick, and use to line a lightly buttered 24cm diameter (3mm deep) loose-bottomed tin or flan ring. Punch up the edges with your index finger and thumb at 1cm intervals to make a fluted edge a little higher than the rim. Chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Peel, core and halve the apples. Place cut-side down on a board and cut into 2mm thick slices. Put a third of the apples (the outer smaller slices) into a saucepan. Keep the other two-thirds packed together (to stop them discolouring).
5. Add 50ml water, the vanilla pod and butter to the apples in the pan and cook gently until tender. Take off the heat, discard the vanilla pod and work the apples, using a whisk, to a compote consistency. Leave to cool. For the glaze, in a small pan, dissolve the sugar in 40ml water. Bring to the boil and bubble for 4-5 minutes to make a syrup. Leave to cool.
6. Prick the base of the pastry case lightly. Pour in the cold apple compote and spread gently with a spoon. Arrange a border of overlapping apple slices around the tart, then arrange another circle inside, with the slices facing the other way. Fill the centre with a little rosette of small slices, trimming to fit as necessary. Bake for about 35 minutes until the pastry and apples are evenly cooked to a light golden colour.
7. Leave the tart cool for at least 20 minutes before removing the flan ring or tart tin. Brush the top with the glaze, place the tart on a wire rack and leave until just cooled. Transfer to a plate and serve cur into slices.
