French Apple Tarte
A classic French apple tart: a thin almond frangipane base under fanned apple slices, glazed with warm apricot jam.
Ingredients
Method
Mix the flour, sugar and salt together in a bowl. Add the butter in pieces and the water, then quickly bring together into a dough with your hands. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the frangipane: beat the butter, sugar and salt together until creamy, then beat in the egg. Finally, stir in the ground almonds, flour and almond extract.
Grease a 28cm tart tin. Roll the pastry out thinly and line the tin, trimming any overhang with a knife. Prick the base a few times with a fork.
Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
Spread the frangipane over the pastry base in an even layer.
Peel, quarter and core the apples. Slice each quarter into very thin slices, then fan each sliced quarter out slightly with your hand.
Arrange the fanned apple quarters over the tart. Bake on a lower rack for 40 to 45 minutes.
Let cool slightly. Warm the apricot jam until just melted, then brush it over the tart while it's still a little warm.
Garnish with toasted flaked almonds and dust with powdered sugar before serving. Cuts into about 14 slices.
Fan each apple quarter out fully before you lay it down, that thin overlap is what gives the tart its classic rippled top, and it bakes far more evenly than stacked chunks.