Description
A classic French dessert, Easy French Apple Tart or Tarte Fine aux Pommes features thinly sliced apples beautifully arranged on a flaky puff pastry base, sprinkled with sugar and baked to golden perfection. This elegant yet simple tart is perfect for a light dessert or afternoon treat, best served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry
- 1 square sheet butter puff pastry (25cm / 10″ square), barely thawed
Filling
- 5 tsp caster sugar (or superfine sugar; regular granulated sugar can be substituted)
- 2 large gala apples (or 3 medium), peeled, cut in half, core removed, sliced 0.5cm / 0.2″ thick
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
To Serve
- Icing sugar / powdered sugar (for dusting, optional)
- Vanilla ice cream (highly recommended)
Instructions
- Prepare the base: Preheat your oven to 210°C (375°F) or 190°C (375°F) if using a fan (convection) oven. Sprinkle about 3 teaspoons of caster sugar evenly on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Lay the puff pastry sheet on top of the sugared paper. Fold in the edges of the pastry by approximately 1cm (0.4 inches) to create a slight raised border which will help contain the apples and juices during baking.
- Arrange the apples: Neatly arrange the thinly sliced apple pieces over the puff pastry within the folded edge, overlapping slightly for a beautiful presentation. Brush the melted unsalted butter generously over the arranged apples to help caramelize and keep them moist.
- Add sugar and bake: Sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoons of caster sugar evenly over the glazed apple slices. Transfer the baking tray onto the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake for around 30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and crisp, and the apples are tender and lightly caramelized.
- Finish and serve: Once baked, remove the tart from the oven and allow it to cool slightly. Dust with a light sprinkle of icing sugar if desired. Serve warm, ideally accompanied by a scoop of vanilla ice cream, which complements the tart’s warm sweetness beautifully.
Notes
- Note 1: Puff pastry should be barely thawed so it is easier to work with and will puff up beautifully during baking.
- Note 2: Gala apples are preferred for their sweetness and texture but other firm apples like Honeycrisp or Fuji can also be used.
- Serving suggestion: The tart is best served warm straight out of the oven with vanilla ice cream for a classic French touch.
- For an extra flair, you can lightly sprinkle cinnamon or nutmeg over the apples before baking.
