Apple Tart

Lovely served with Calvados infused whipped cream! (photo by Ashley)

I have always been a bit scared of pastry. But I’m determined to conquer it (with the help of my new Roux book!), so I made an apple tart for the first time last week, and it actually turned out really well! I based the pastry on Roux’s flan pastry recipe and then went solo from there. It was absolutely divine.

You will need:

For the pastry:

  • 250g plain flour
  • 125g butter (soft)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 40mls cold water

For the filling:

  • 9 large dessert apples (I used Cox’s)
  • 1 tbsp good quality vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 50g butter
  • 80 mls water
  • 80g caster sugar (for the glaze)
  • 40 mls water (for the glaze)
  • 1 tsp vanilla (for the glaze)
  1. First of all, make the pastry. All you do it pop your (sifted) flour into a bowl with your sugar and salt. Chop the butter so it’s small and manageable and add to the mix.
  2. Beat the egg lightly, and add it in. With a spoon, stir the mixture together until it starts clumping, then get in there with your hands until you get a grainy consistency.
  3. Add some of the water (depending on how dry it is) and mix the dough until it holds together. If it’s dry, add more of the water. Now, move it to a floured surface and push away from your hands 4 or 5 times until it’s smooth.
  4. Next, roll it out to about 3-4mm thick and line a buttered fluted 24cm tart/pie dish with the pastry. Pinch up the edges so they’re just above the top of the dish. Now pop it in the fridge and forget about it till later. (NB if you want to make that pastry ahead of time, that’s cool. Just roll it into a ball, cling film it and pop it in the fridge. It will be ok for up to a week. Or you can free it for up to 3 months.)
  5. Now that your pastry is all done, get your apples out. Peel and core them all and put 3 in some cold water. Finely chop the other six and pop them into a saucepan with the butter, vanilla, cinnamon and water. Cook on a gentle heat for an hour until soft.
  6. While they’re cooking, chop your remaining apples down the middle, then chop them very finely into slices (as in the photo). Pop them back into the water for now. Now would be a good time to pop the oven on to warm up – about 200°c is right.
  7. When the apples that are cooking are nice and soft, pop them in a blender and whizz for just 5 or 10 seconds until they are smooth but not totally pureed. Now, take your pastry out of the fridge and prick the base all over with a fork.
  8. Pour the apple saucy stuff into the pastry case and spread out until evenly distributed. Now, take your slices and arrange in overlapping concentric circles. Bake in the oven for about 30-40 mins until the pastry is lightly browned and the apples are golden.
  9. Cool for 20 mins on a wire rack in its tin. Next, add the sugar to a saucepan with the 40mls of water and the tsp of vanilla and boil for 4 or 5 mins to make a syrup. When the tart is cooled, brush the apples generously with the syrup until you’ve used it all. You can serve it now if you like, or you can reheat in the oven later at 200°c for 15-20 mins. Best served with double cream whipped and folded with a tbsp of Calvardos!
  10. Enjoy! :)

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