Tarte Fine aux Pommes

Dessert Serves 6 people France

One of my go-to dessert dishes, this is easy to make, looks beautiful, and is quite light. My secret is to use ready-rolled dough (which I keep in the freezer). I use any apples, but experts say that cooking apples will break apart and become too floury, so dessert apples with a little acidity such as Braeburn or Pink Lady are best. Serve with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream and you have just ended dinner on a high!

INGREDIENTS:

All-purpose (plain) flour, for dusting
11 ¼ oz (320g) all-butter puff pastry
4-6 apples
1 lemon
2 tbsp butter
4 tbsp superfine (caster) sugar



Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. On a flour-dusted surface, roll out the pastry as thinly as you can (around 3-5mm is ideal) and cut out a 22cm circle using an upturned cake tin or plate as a template. Place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and chill in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble the tart.

Step 2

Peel, core and thinly slice the apples. To prevent them going brown, place the slices into a bowl of cold water to which a squeeze of lemon has been added.

Step 3

Arrange the apple slices in overlapping, concentric circles around the pastry base, leaving a small border. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and 3 tbsp sugar together and brush generously all over the apples and pastry border.

Step 4

Bake for 20 minutes, then brush again with the butter and sugar mixture and dust with the remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until golden on top. Serve at room temperature.