French Apple Tart

 

Here’s a classic French Apple Tart (Tarte aux Pommes) recipe you can try at home. It’s elegant, buttery, and surprisingly simple to make.

Ingredients (serves 6–8)

For the pastry

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 12 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter (cubed)
• ¼ cup very cold water

For the filling

• 1 ¾ pounds baking apples (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or a mix), peeled, cored, thinly sliced
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon flour

For finishing

• 1 egg, beaten (for brushing crust)
• 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar (optional, for crunch)
• 2 tablespoons apricot jam (warmed, for glaze)

Instructions

1. Make the pastry

   • In a food processor, pulse flour, salt, and sugar.
   • Add cold butter and pulse until mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
   • Sprinkle in cold water and pulse until dough just comes together.
   • Form into a disk, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.

2. Prepare the apples

   • Slice apples thinly.
   • Toss with sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, melted butter, and a pinch of salt.

3. Assemble the tart

   • Roll dough into a 14-inch circle on parchment paper.
   • Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour over the dough.
   • Arrange apple slices in overlapping concentric circles, leaving a 2–3 inch border.
   • Fold edges of dough over apples, pleating as you go.

4. Bake

   • Brush crust with beaten egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
   • Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 55–65 minutes, until apples are tender and crust is golden.

5. Glaze & serve

   • Warm apricot jam with a splash of water. Brush over apples for shine.
   • Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

This tart is rustic yet refined—like an apple pie’s chic Parisian cousin.