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Apple Tart Recipe

This apple tart recipe is the perfect alternative to the traditional apple pie. Make the buttery pate sucrèe a day ahead, then fill it with the almond cream and fresh apples when you’re ready to bake and serve. Elevate your fall dessert cookbook with this elegant French-style tart.
Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chill Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Servings 2 6-inch tarts
Calories 2537kcal

Equipment

  • 2 8-inch Tart Rings

Ingredients

Pâte Sucrée ( Sweet Doug)

  • 300 grams All Purpose Flour
  • 150 grams Powdered Sugar
  • 150 grams European Unsalted Butter American butter is okay too
  • 75 grams Eggs
  • 40 grams Almond Flour
  • 3 grams Salt

Almond Cream

  • 100 grams Unsalted Butter
  • 100 grams Granulated Sugar
  • 100 grams Almond Flour
  • 100 grams Eggs
  • 8 grams Rum optional
  • 1 fresh Vanilla Bean or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Decoration

  • 2 large Gala Apples (or apples of your choice)
  • 30 grams Toasted Almonds Optional (for decoration)
  • 10 grams Caramel Sauce Optional (for decoration)
  • 10 grams Powdered Sugar Optional (for decoration)
  • 30 grams corn syrup Optional (for glazing)
  • 30 grams water Optional (for glazing)

Instructions

Making The Pâte Sucrée

  • Add the softened butter and powdered sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined.
  • Add the fresh vanilla bean seeds and continue to mix until incorporated.
  • Next, slowly add the eggs and continue to mix on low until combined, scraping the bowl as needed. 
  • Add the almond flour and mix for a few seconds then add the flour and salt.
  • Once all the ingredients have been added, continue mixing on low for 15 seconds until all ingredients are just combined and a dough starts to form. Be careful to not overmix.  
  • Place the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and shape it into a rectangle. Pro Tip: Forming the dough into a rectangle helps all parts of the dough chill evenly. Refrigerate for about 2 hours or until it becomes firm to the touch. 

Making The Tart Shells

  • Once the dough is chilled, take it out of the fridge for about 30 minutes before rolling it out. Room temperature dough will roll out easier. Remove it from the plastic wrap and cut it in half, setting one half aside.
  • Flour your surface and roll out one-half of your dough using a rolling pin until it is about ⅛ inch thick. 
  • Next, gently place the 8" tart ring on your rolled dough to use it as a guide. This perforated tart shell ring allows the tart to bake more evenly because the heat is well distributed. You can also use any fluted tart shell ring with a removable bottom if you prefer.
  • Using a sharp knife, cut about 2 inches out from your tart ring (about 10 inches), this will give you enough dough to cover the bottom and sides of your ring with a little extra. 
  • Repeat with the other half of your dough, or chill it to use another time.
  • Use your fingers to gently press the dough into the tart pan. Work your fingers around the shell slowly making your way towards the bottom taking care to not press too hard or tear the dough.
  • Use a knife to trim the access dough from the top of your shell. Pro Tip: Hold the knife facing away from the tart shell and glide it flat along the top edge of the ring while using your other hand to turn the tart ring. This makes it easy to cut and leaves a super smooth top edge!
  • Make sure the bottom edge of the tart shell is at a 90-degree angle with the ring, this will shrink as the dough bakes and will leave you with a straighter edge.
  • Place your tart rings on a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Refrigerate the tart rings while you make the almond cream.

Making The Almond Cream

  • First, add the sugar and butter into the bowl of your stand mixer and mix on low speed with the paddle attachment until smooth. 
  • Add the vanilla bean and mix for 10 seconds, scrape the bowl, and then continue to mix for another 10 seconds. 
  • Next, add your eggs one at a time and mix until fully incorporated, scraping the bowl if needed. 
  • Then add the almond flour and mix for a few seconds, add the rum and continue mixing on low speed until the mixture is smooth. 
  • Prepare a piping bag with a metal round tip and fill the bag with the almond cream.

Assembling The Apple Tart

  • Preheat the oven to 360°F (162° C).
  • Pipe the almond cream into your chilled tart shells using a spiral motion filling about ⅓ of the way up, then set it aside. Pro Tip: To form a perfect spiral, start from the center of the tart and slowly move outwards using a spiral formation. 
  • Peel and core the apples, then cut them in half so that they're face down on the cutting board. Slice them into thin slices with a small pairing knife, removing any leftover seeds or core pieces from the slices. Pro Tip: Keep keep your slices uniform in size so that they bake evenly and soak them in lemon juice so that they don't brown.
  • Place the apple slices nicely inside of the tart on top of the almond cream, layering them slightly and fanning them into a circle in the tart shell. 
  • Brush melted butter on top of the tart dough and apples using a pastry brush. 
  • Sprinkle a thin layer of brown sugar to help give the apples a hint of caramel flavor.
  • Bake the tarts at 360°F (162° C) for about 30 minutes or until the tart crust looks golden brown.
  • Set the tarts aside on a cooling rack for about 30 minutes.

Decorating The Apple Tart

  • (optional) Make a simple syrup out of corn syrup and water by mixing them together and bringing them to a boil, then cool it down. Brush the glaze over the top of the tart for a little extra sweetness and shine. You can also melt some apricot preserves and use that to brush over the top.
  • Drizzle or pipe some caramel (store-bought or homemade) in a circle around the tart.
  • Add some chopped toasted almonds along the caramel design. 
  • Place a medium bowl that's slightly smaller than your tart on top so that everything but the top edge is covered. Sift some powdered sugar around the edge of the tart. Remove the bowl and you will be left with an even line of powdered sugar dusted along the edge of the tart. 
  • These apple tarts are best served immediately and with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. They can be stored for up to a week in the fridge and are should be eaten within 1-2 days after being baked.

Video

Notes

Important Things To Note Before You Start
1. Bring all your ingredients to room temperature or even a little warm (eggs, buttermilk, butter, etc). 
2. Use a scale to weigh your ingredients (including liquids) unless otherwise instructed (Tablespoons, teaspoons, pinch etc). Metric measurements are available in the recipe card. Scaled ingredients are much more accurate than using cups and help ensure the success of your recipe. 
3. Practice Mise en Place (everything in it’s place). Measure out your ingredients ahead of time and have them ready before you start mixing to reduce the chances of accidentally leaving something out.
4. Gala apples work best for an apple tart because they are on the sweeter side but are still firm enough to hold their shape while baking. You can use granny smith apples if you like a more acidic and tart flavor, or a combination of apples if you prefer. Pink lady, honey crisp, or golden delicious apples are also good options.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tart | Calories: 2537kcal | Carbohydrates: 276g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 147g | Saturated Fat: 70g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 30g | Trans Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 594mg | Sodium: 1532mg | Potassium: 415mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 145g | Vitamin A: 3650IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 258mg | Iron: 11mg