French Apple Tart (Tarte de Pommes a la Normande)

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 1/3 cups of flour and salt. Add the butter, 1 egg yolk and water, and stir until the mixture forms large crumbs. If it is too dry to press a handful together, stir in more water. Press the dough into a ball, and wrap in plastic wrap. Flatten slightly, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until firm. This part can be done up to three days in advance.
2. To make the frangipane, cream together the butter and 1/2 cup of sugar in a medium bowl until light and soft. Gradually mix in the egg and the remaining egg yolk one at a time. Stir in the apple brandy. Stir 2 tablespoons of flour into the ground almonds, then mix into the batter. Set aside.
3. Roll the pastry dough out to about a 12 inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Fold loosely into quarters, and center the point in a 10 inch tart or pie pan. Unfold dough, and press into the bottom and up the sides. Prick with a fork all over, and flute the edges. Return pastry to the refrigerator to chill until firm.
4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Place a baking sheet inside the oven while it preheats.
5. Spoon the frangipane into the chilled pastry, and spread into an even layer. Arrange the apple slices in an overlapping spiral pattern. Each slice should have one edge pressed into the frangipane until it touches the pastry base, and then overlap the previous slice. Start at the outside edge, and work towards the center.
6. Place the pie plate on top of the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the filling begins to brown. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake for another 10 minutes, then sprinkle sugar over the top of the tart. Return to the oven for 10 more minutes, or until the sugar caramelizes slightly.
7. Cool the tart on a wire rack. A short time before serving, warm the apricot jelly. Add some water if necessary to make it a liquid consistency. Brush onto the tart for a nice shine.

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Reviews (87)

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61

Barrygirl

Oct. 14, 2005

"This was my first attempt at a tart and I cheated with a pre-bought pastry case from Sainsbury's which was very nice! The tart was easy to make and I substituted the brandy with vanilla vodka which c..." See moreomplements the delicate flavours of the apples and almonds perfectly. This tart looks very impressive and also tastes lovely so I will definately be making it again."

41

KRANEY

Nov. 25, 2006

"This was a beautiful addition to my Thanksgiving dinner, and was perfect for those who didn't care for pumpkin pie! It was time consuming, but turned out so nicely, I will definitely make it again. ..." See moreI thought it needed just a bit more almond flavor (was a little too buttery and bland for my taste), so next time I will add 1/4 tsp. almond extract to the frangipane. I thought the step about adding sugar during baking was kind of unnecessary because you later spread apricot jelly on it. My sugar wouldn't caramelize, and I didn't want to overbrown the crust; as a result, the sugar part turned out a little globby, so I think I will skip that step next time. Thanks for the recipe!"

36

Apey!

Jun. 3, 2006

"I was very excited to make this tart for a photo project my partner was working on. I chose it based on the reviews I had read here. I'm lucky it came out looking as good as it did ,because the flavo..." See morer was just not there. I followed the recipe to the letter aside from cooking an additional 20 minutes. I wish the frangipane had more almond flavor and the crust was less greasy. Its a good start and with a few revisions I think it would be fantastic."