GRETTA ANNA: Apple tarts are made all over France. They are one of the national dishes. This one is truly special. It is very much ‘à la Normande’, smelling and tasting as it does of calvados, that wonderful brandy with a delicious apple bouquet. All through Normandy one sees cows browsing in apple orchards. No wonder Normandy is also famous for its butter, cream, cheese and cider.
All of us need to be able to make high-quality pastry for dessert tarts. Here is another slightly different version. If pressed into a tart tin it is short, delicious and rich. If, however, it needs to be rolled, add as much plain flour and iced water as is required and, when the pastry is rolled thin and cooked, it will be crisp and delicious. This particular pastry recipe is for double the quantity, as it is so handy to have sweet tart pastry in the refrigerator or freezer to call on at a moment’s notice.
MARTIN: This is, quite simply, the best apple tart you will ever eat! There is nothing else left to say.
- To make the pastry, cut the butter into small pieces, spread them out on a baking tray and place in the freezer for 15 minutes until very cold but not frozen.
- Place the flour, sugar, very cold butter and the egg in a food processor and process until it just starts to form a ball, adding 1 tablespoon of iced water as you blend. Knead a very little with the heel of your hand, then refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. Press half the quantity of pastry into a 23 cm tart tin, prick with a fork and refrigerate until required. (Keep the other half in the freezer until required for another use.) Bake the tart case for 12–15 minutes until lightly golden.
- Place the sliced apples in the pastry case and sprinkle the extra 2 tablespoons of sugar over the top.
- Return to the oven and bake for 15–20 minutes until the apple has caramelised a little.
- Beat together the calvados, the ¼ cup (55 g) of sugar, cream and egg yolks. Pour over the apple slices. Sprinkle the top with the almonds, return to the oven and bake for 15–20 minutes until the custard is browned and set.
- Serve warm or cool with crème fraîche or lightly whipped cream. The tart is best made fresh but if made ahead of time, reheat in a moderate oven.
2 green apples, peeled, cored and very thinly sliced
65 ml calvados
¼ cup (55 g) caster sugar, plus 2 tablespoons caster sugar, extra
150 ml pure cream
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons flaked almonds
crème fraîche or lightly whipped cream, to serve
SWEET PASTRY
125 g unsalted butter
1 2/3 cups (250 g) plain flour
100 g caster sugar
1 egg
