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Interest rates are the single most powerful lever in Canada's economy.  When the Bank of Canada adjusts its policy rate, the effects reach every household—from the cost of carrying a mortgage to the return on a savings account. With rates currently at 2.25% and significant uncertainty ahead, understanding how rates work has never been more important for your finances. What Is the Bank of Canada's Policy Rate? The Bank of Canada sets the overnight policy rate—the interest rate at which major banks lend money to each other. This rate serves as a benchmark that influences borrowing and lending costs across the entire economy. When the Bank raises or lowers this rate, commercial banks adjust their prime rates accordingly, which directly affects the rates you pay on mortgages, lines of credit, and other loans. The Bank's primary goal is to keep inflation near its 2% target. When inflation runs too hot, the Bank raises rates to cool spending. When the economy slows, it cuts rates...
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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.


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