Classic French Apple Tart
This apple tart recipe turns a handful of simple pantry staples into the kind of dessert that looks like it came straight from a Parisian bakery window. A buttery, crisp pastry shell holds thin, fanned slices of apple that bake up soft and golden, then get brushed with a glossy apricot glaze. It is a classic French apple tart, the kind of recipe French grandmothers have been making for generations, and it is far easier to pull off at home than it looks.
Equipment
- 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom
- Food processor
- Rolling Pin
- Large mixing bowl
- Apple peeler and corer optional
- Sharp paring knife
- Pastry brush
- Wire cooling rack
- Mandoline slicer optional
- Offset pastry brush optional
- French Rolling Pin optional
- Rimmed baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 156g
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter 1 stick, cubed
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar for the dough
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons ice water 3 to 4 tablespoons, added gradually
For the Apple Filling
- 4 large apples Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, or Granny Smith (4 to 5), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
For the Glaze
- 1/4 cup apricot preserves warmed and strained
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, and salt together. Add cold cubed butter and pulse until mixture looks like coarse sand with pea-sized butter pieces. Add ice water one tablespoon at a time, pulsing briefly, until dough just starts to clump. Turn out onto a floured surface, gather into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- While dough chills, peel, core, and thinly slice apples into even pieces about 1/8 inch thick. Toss apple slices with lemon juice immediately to prevent browning. Add sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract, and cinnamon (if using), then gently toss until every slice is coated. Set aside while rolling out the dough.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough into an 11 to 12 inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Transfer to tart pan, gently pressing into bottom and up fluted sides. Trim excess dough and prick bottom several times with a fork to prevent puffing.
- Starting from the outer edge, arrange apple slices in slightly overlapping concentric circles, working toward the center. Overlap slices by about half their width. Pour any remaining juices and sugar from the bowl evenly over the top of the arranged apples.
- Place tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350°F and continue baking for another 25 to 30 minutes, until crust is deep golden brown and apples are tender when pierced with a knife. Cover edges with foil if browning too quickly. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes.
- While tart cools, warm apricot preserves until loose and pourable, then strain out large fruit chunks. Using a pastry brush, gently brush warm glaze over the top of apples for a glossy finish. Carefully remove outer ring of tart pan, slide tart onto serving plate, and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Keep butter and water as cold as possible for a flaky crust - this is essential for the pastry texture.
- Do not overwork the dough; mix just until it comes together to keep the crust tender.
- Slice apples uniformly thin (about 1/8 inch) so they cook at the same rate and create an even pattern.
- Choose firm baking apples like Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Golden Delicious that hold their shape during baking.
- Chill the shaped, unbaked crust for 15 minutes before adding apples to help it hold its shape in the oven.
- Let the tart rest for a few minutes before slicing so the glaze can set slightly.
- For a Normandy-style variation, add a splash of Calvados or apple brandy to the filling and skip the cinnamon.
- Make the dough up to 3 days ahead and keep wrapped in the refrigerator, or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Store leftover tart loosely covered at room temperature for up to 1 day, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Reheat individual slices in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes to recrisp the crust; avoid the microwave as it softens the pastry.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 245kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 2gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 3.5gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 85mgPotassium: 120mgFiber: 2gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 8IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 4mg
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