Easy French Apple Tart

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This easy French apple tart looks gorgeous, tastes delicious and really is very easy to make! If you love apple desserts, then there's really no excuse not to make this...

Apples have been baked into desserts for longer than anyone can remember, with popular dishes including apple pie and apple crumble. Apple tart is a variation of apple pie, although their crusts differ. A tart is a shallow dessert with no top crust, and it is baked 'open', whereas a pie will commonly be baked in a deeper dish with a top crust.

This easy French apple tart uses a puff pastry base for a light and crisp finish, and the trick that makes it easy is to use ready rolled puff pastry (shh...)! You certainly could make your own puff pastry, but sometimes you just need to produce a dessert at short notice, and this recipe is perfect for those situations. Use all butter puff pastry for an authentic taste. Apart from the apples, there are very few other ingredients in this tart, allowing an intense burst of apple flavour with every bite.

You could probably make this easy French apple tart using any number of apple varieties, although the most popular ones are Granny Smith or Cox. I do like Granny Smith apples in desserts for their firm texture and tart taste, although for this recipe below, I happened to use Braeburn apples, and the tart still turned out deliciously! I wouldn't recommend using soft, mealy apples for your tart, as they won't retain their texture as well

The sweet, slightly tart and buttery flavours of this easy French apple tart are hard to resist. It is perfect with your afternoon tea or as a finish to your Sunday lunch. Serve it warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream. Impress your guests, and no one has to know just how easy it was to make!

Here's how to make this easy French apple tart:
(Click here to jump straight to the recipe)

320g all butter ready rolled puff pastry sheet
1 Tbsp plain flour for dusting
4 large eating apples (Granny Smith, Cox or Braeburn)
30g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
20g caster sugar
1 egg, beaten

And here's what you'll need to do:

• Peel and core one apple, and chop it into small pieces, placing them in a small saucepan.
• Add about 100ml of water to the pan, or enough to mostly cover the apple pieces. Bring to the boil, and simmer gently for about 20 minutes or until the apple is really soft and most of the water has evaporated.
• Mash the cooked apple into a smooth puree using a handheld blender or the back of a fork. Set aside to cool.

• Prepare the butter and sugar, and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 200C (390F) / 180C Fan.

• Lay the puff pastry sheet, including the parchment is was wrapped in, onto a flat work surface. If the pastry sheet is not as wide as your tart serving plate, dust it with some plain flour, and gently roll it until it is wide enough.
• Flip your tart serving plate upside down onto the pastry sheet, and cut out a circle of pastry using the plate as a guide.
• Remove the plate.

• Crimp the edge of the pastry circle.
• Lift the pastry by the parchment, and flip it upside down directly onto a large baking sheet (the crimped edge should now be underneath the base).
• Chill in the fridge whilst you prepare the apples.

• Peel the remaining apples, cut into quarters through the centre, and remove the core.
• Slice the apples thinly, about 2-3mm thick.

• Remove the pastry from the fridge, and spread the apple puree over it in a thin layer, leaving a 1cm margin around the edge.
• Layer the apples on top of the puree in concentric circles, overlapping the slices. Use the larger slices for the outer ring and the smaller ones for the inner circles.

• Brush the beaten egg around the pastry edge using a pastry brush.
• Sprinkle the sugar over the apples, and dot the butter cubes on top.

• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden brown.

• Cool slightly and transfer onto a serving plate.

Easy French Apple Tart

By Wendy | Serves 4

This easy French apple tart really is quick to make whilst still looking beautiful and tasting delicious.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 8-10
Course: Dessert, Pudding, Snack
Cuisine: Modern French
Tags: Apple Pie, Dessert

Ingredients

320g all butter ready rolled puff pastry sheet
1 Tbsp plain flour for dusting
4 large eating apples (Granny Smith, Cox or Braeburn)
30g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
20g caster sugar
1 egg, beaten

Method

1. Peel and core one apple, and chop it into small pieces, placing them in a small saucepan.
2. Add about 100ml of water to the pan, or enough to mostly cover the apple pieces. Bring to the boil, and simmer gently for about 20 minutes or until the apple is really soft and most of the water has evaporated.
3. Mash the cooked apple into a smooth puree using a handheld blender or the back of a fork. Set aside to cool.
4. Prepare the butter and sugar, and set aside.
5. Preheat the oven to 200C (390F) / 180C Fan.
6. Lay the puff pastry sheet, including the parchment is was wrapped in, onto a flat work surface. If the pastry sheet is not as wide as your tart serving plate, dust it with some plain flour, and gently roll it until it is wide enough.
7. Flip your tart serving plate upside down onto the pastry sheet, and cut out a circle of pastry using the plate as a guide.
8. Remove the plate.
9. Crimp the edge of the pastry circle.
10. Lift the pastry by the parchment, and flip it upside down directly onto a large baking sheet (the crimped edge should now be underneath the base).
11. Chill in the fridge whilst you prepare the apples.
12. Peel the remaining apples, cut into quarters through the centre, and remove the core.
13. Slice the apples thinly, about 2-3mm thick.
14. Remove the pastry from the fridge, and spread the apple puree over it in a thin layer, leaving a 1cm margin around the edge.
15. Layer the apples on top of the puree in concentric circles, overlapping the slices. Use the larger slices for the outer ring and the smaller ones for the inner circles.
16. Brush the beaten egg around the pastry edge using a pastry brush.
17. Sprinkle the sugar over the apples, and dot the butter cubes on top.
18. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden brown.
19. Cool slightly and transfer onto a serving plate.

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