FRENCH APPLE TART

Posted By: Emily
APRIL 04, 2016

Serves: 8-10
Total Time: 2 1/2 Hours * Active Time: 1 1/2 Hours
Courtesy of: Joy of Baking

Ingredients

SWEET PASTRY CRUST

  • 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter
    • Room Temperature
  • 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 Large Egg
    • Room Temperature
  • 1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Salt

APRICOT GLAZE

  • 1/2 cup Apricot Preserves
  • 1 Tablespoon Water or Grand Marnier or Rum

APPLE FILLING

  • 1 1/4 Cups Applesauce
  • 1 1/2 Pounds Firm Textured Apples 
    • About 3 Medium-Sized
  • 1 Tablespoon Butter
  • 2-4 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Directions

SWEET PASTRY CRUST

  1. Place the butter in mixer and beat until softened.
  2. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
  3. Gradually add the egg, beating just until incorporated. (Don’t over mix or the butter will separate and lighten in color.)
  4. Add flour and salt and mix just until it forms a ball. (Don’t overwork or the pastry will be hard when baked.)
  5. Flatten dough into disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate about one hour or until firm.
  6. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry into an 12 – 13 inch circle.
  7. Unroll over the top of your tart pan and gently press the pastry onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
  8. Roll your rolling pin over top of pan to get rid of excess pastry. Prick bottom of pastry with the tines of a fork.
  9. Cover and refrigerate for about 20 minutes to chill the butter and to rest the gluten.

SWEET PASTRY CRUST

  1. Place the butter in mixer and beat until softened.
  2. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
  3. Gradually add the egg, beating just until incorporated. (Don’t over mix or the butter will separate and lighten in color.)
  4. Add flour and salt and mix just until it forms a ball. (Don’t overwork or the pastry will be hard when baked.)
  5. Flatten dough into disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate about one hour or until firm.
  6. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry into an 12 – 13 inch circle.
  7. Unroll over the top of your tart pan and gently press the pastry onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
  8. Roll your rolling pin over top of pan to get rid of excess pastry. Prick bottom of pastry with the tines of a fork.
  9. Cover and refrigerate for about 20 minutes to chill the butter and to rest the gluten.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

  1. Line the chilled unbaked pastry shell with parchment paper or foil and fill with pie weights or rice.
  2. Bake crust for about 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown around the edges.
  3. Remove from oven and remove the parchment paper and weights.
  4. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and place the crust back into the oven for about 3-5 minutes or until the crust is dry to the touch.

APRICOT GLAZE

  1. In a small saucepan heat the apricot preserves just until boiling.
  2. Remove from heat and strain to get get rid of lumps.
  3. Add the water or booze and with a pastry brush, brush the glaze over the bottom and sides of the pastry shell.

APPLE FILLING

  1. Spoon the applesauce into the cooled pre-baked tart shell.
  2. Peel, core, and cut the apples into 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) slices.
  3. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and stir in the sugar and ground cinnamon.
  4. Add the apples and saute until they just begin to soften (approximately 3-5 minutes).
  5. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
  6. Arrange the apple slices in concentric circles over the applesauce, and brush with about 1 tablespoon of melted butter.
  7. Place the tart pan on a larger baking sheet and bake the tart for 25 – 30 minutes or until the apples are soft but not mushy.
  8. Once the tart has cooled, lightly glaze the apple slices with warm apricot glaze.

Notes:
To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll.