J’adore this recipe! Not only does it satisfy my apple pie cravings but, it is surprisingly versatile. I like to make more filling than the original French recipe calls for, because I love warm caramelized apples. I always use Golden Delicious apples for the fan on top, but I tend to use an assortment of sweet-tart apples for the filling. Check out my TARTE AUX POMMES VIDEO for further instructions!
Sweet Short Pastry
200g all-purpose flour, sifted
100g butter cut into small pieces
4g / pinch salt
20g sugar
5 ml water
1 egg
1-2 pinches vanilla power or tsp vanilla
Large tart pan or rings greased and floured
Apple Filling
7 apples (4 for the filling and 3 for the topping)
60g butter
60g sugar
30 ml water
juice of ½ lemon, if you want
2 cinnamon sticks
Bake at 180 C (around 350 F) and reduce to 160 C or 325 F after ten minutes. Cook until done, about 25-30 minutes.
Short Crust Assembly:
1. Put all dry ingredients into a big bowl (flour, salt, sugar)
2. Add the butter and cut with fingers. (With your hands smoosh the butter & flour inbetween your fingers as if you were counting money). Or pulse in cuisinart with 2-3 on/off turns.
3. Add vanilla powder, egg, and drop of water and continue to mix dough with fingertips. (2-3 on/off turns in cuisinart)
4. Form the dough in a ball and “fraser” twice against the bowl’s side–press dough with palm against the side of the bowl like kneading bread dough.
5. Flatten into round disk and refrigerate dough while making apple filling.
Apple Filling:
6. Peel all apples and core.
7. Dice 4 apples
8. Melt butter on medium high heat in a large saucepan. Add sugar once butter is frothy. Let butter and sugar turn golden brown before adding apples (about 2-3 minutes).
9. Add diced apples and gently stir. (about 5 min).
10. Add water and cinnamon sticks and cook on low heat for another 5 min or until apples are soft. Don’t overcook. (if apples are juicy then leave out the water)
11. Take apple filling off heat and let cool.
12. Take remaining 3 peeled and cored apples. Cut apple halves into paperthin slices. Make sure to keep the apple half in tact while doing this because it makes it easier to fan on the top of the tart.
Tart Assembly:
13. Roll short crust out to size of desired tart pan about 5 mm thick
14. Fill short crust with cooled filling and spread evenly.
15. Starting with outer edge of crust and fan apple slices in a circle over filling. Make sure there are no gaps between the crust and the slices. The fan should be tight.
16. Continue with a second and third circle fanning on half of the previous one. With any remaining small apple pieces fill the center and then place a few slices over to create the center piece. (see picture).
17. Dot wih butter and sprinkle sugar over top of tart. You can also brush top with an apricot glaze if you prefer the shiny look.
18. Bake! Serve warm with crème anglais or vanilla ice cream.
Technorati Tags: apples, Food, pastry, recipes
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