Apple Tart with Almond Filling
By Jacques Pépin
Apple Tart with Almond Filling
By Jacques Pépin
Yield/Serves:
Makes 8 Servings
Dough:
Frangipane:
Glaze:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
- ⅓ cup ice-cold water
Frangipane:
- ¾ cup unblanched whole almonds
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Apples:
- 4 to 5 Granny Smith or Red Delicious apples
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Glaze:
- 6 tablespoons apricot jam
- 1 tablespoon Calvados or applejack
- 1 tablespoon water
In this tasty apple tart, a layer of frangipane, or almond paste, is spread on the dough and covered with apple slices. The almond mixture rises around the apples as a soft, fragrant dough, and the tart is coated with an apricot glaze. It is best enjoyed at room temperature.
For the dough: Put the flour, sugar, salt, and butter in a food processor and process for about 5 seconds. Add the water and process for another 10 seconds, until the dough just begins to come together. Remove the dough from the processor and press it into a disk (there should still be visible pieces of butter).
On a floured board, roll the dough out to about a 13-inch circle. Roll the dough up on the rolling pin and unroll over a 9- to 10-inch pie pan or pizza pan, then carefully fit it into the pan. Roll and press the excess dough in on itself to create a thicker border all around.
For the frangipane: Grind the almonds and sugar to a coarse powder in a food processor. Add the egg, vanilla, and melted butter and blend for a few seconds to make a smooth paste. Spread the frangipane evenly over the dough. Refrigerate.
Preheat the oven to 400°F, with a rack in the center.
For the apples: Peel, halve and core the apples. Slice the halves crosswise about ¼-inch thick. Arrange the slices, overlapping, in concentric circles on top of the frangipane. Sprinkle with the sugar and dot the top with the butter, cut into small pieces.
Bake for 1¼ hours, or until the apples are tender and the pastry has browned. Let cool to room temperature.
For the glaze: Combine the apricot jam, liquor, and water in a bowl. Spoon the glaze over the apples and spread it evenly with the back of the spoon so that the whole tart top is glazed. Cut the tart into wedges and serve.
For the dough: Put the flour, sugar, salt, and butter in a food processor and process for about 5 seconds. Add the water and process for another 10 seconds, until the dough just begins to come together. Remove the dough from the processor and press it into a disk (there should still be visible pieces of butter).
On a floured board, roll the dough out to about a 13-inch circle. Roll the dough up on the rolling pin and unroll over a 9- to 10-inch pie pan or pizza pan, then carefully fit it into the pan. Roll and press the excess dough in on itself to create a thicker border all around.
For the frangipane: Grind the almonds and sugar to a coarse powder in a food processor. Add the egg, vanilla, and melted butter and blend for a few seconds to make a smooth paste. Spread the frangipane evenly over the dough. Refrigerate.
Preheat the oven to 400°F, with a rack in the center.
For the apples: Peel, halve and core the apples. Slice the halves crosswise about ¼-inch thick. Arrange the slices, overlapping, in concentric circles on top of the frangipane. Sprinkle with the sugar and dot the top with the butter, cut into small pieces.
Bake for 1¼ hours, or until the apples are tender and the pastry has browned. Let cool to room temperature.
For the glaze: Combine the apricot jam, liquor, and water in a bowl. Spoon the glaze over the apples and spread it evenly with the back of the spoon so that the whole tart top is glazed. Cut the tart into wedges and serve.