Equipment
Ingredients
Shortcrust Pastry (Pate Sablee)
- 200 g all-purpose flour
- 100 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 30 g icing sugar
- 2 g salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 15 ml ice water
Apple Filling
- 4 apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
Calvados Custard
- 150 ml creme fraiche
- 60 g granulated sugar
- 40 g almond meal
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 30 ml calvados
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Glaze
- 50 g apricot jam
- 10 ml water
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, icing sugar, and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter and rub it into the flour mixture using your fingertips until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Add the egg yolk and mix gently to bring the dough together. If the mixture is too dry, add ice water a few drops at a time until a cohesive dough forms. Do not overwork.
Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to about 3mm thickness. Carefully transfer it into the 23cm tart tin, pressing gently into the corners. Trim the excess overhanging dough and prick the base lightly with a fork. Chill the lined tin for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line the chilled pastry case with parchment paper and fill with baking weights. Blind bake for 15 minutes, then remove the weights and paper and bake for another 5 minutes until the base is pale golden and dry.
While the pastry blind bakes, prepare the custard. In a bowl, whisk together the creme fraiche, eggs, granulated sugar, almond meal, Calvados, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Arrange the peeled and sliced apples neatly in a concentric circle over the base of the pre-baked tart shell, overlapping them slightly.
Carefully pour the Calvados custard mixture evenly over the arranged apples, ensuring it fills the gaps but does not overflow the pastry edges.
Bake the tart at 180°C/350°F for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the custard is set and slightly puffed, and the apples are tender and caramelized at the edges.
In a small saucepan, gently heat the apricot jam and water until runny. Pass through a fine sieve if there are large fruit pieces. Brush the warm glaze generously over the apples and top of the tart.
Allow the tart to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before carefully removing the sides. Let it cool completely on a wire rack to allow the custard to firm up before slicing.
Chef's Notes
- For the flakiest pastry, ensure your butter and water are ice-cold. If your kitchen is warm, chill your mixing bowl and flour before starting.
- Choosing the right apples is crucial. A mix of firm, tart apples like Granny Smith and sweeter varieties like Braeburn provides the best balance of flavor and structural integrity during baking.
- Blind baking the tart shell is an absolute must to prevent a soggy bottom, as the Calvados custard is highly liquid. Do not rush this step.
- If you find the alcohol flavor of Calvados too sharp, you can gently simmer it in a small pan for 2 minutes to cook off some of the harsh alcohol vapor before adding it to the custard mix.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store loosely covered to maintain pastry texture.
Reheating: Warm in a 150C/300F oven for 10-15 minutes to crisp the pastry and gently warm the custard.
