French Apple Almond Tart Recipes

Steps:

• For the pastry, place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add the butter and pulse 10 to 12 times, until the butter is in small bits the size of peas. With the motor running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Roll the dough slightly larger than 10 by 14-inches. Using a ruler and a small knife, trim the edges. Place the dough on the prepared sheet pan and refrigerate while you prepare the apples.
• Peel the apples and cut them in half through the stem. Remove the stems and cores with a sharp knife and a melon baller. Slice the apples crosswise in 1/4-inch thick slices. Place overlapping slices of apples diagonally down the middle of the tart and continue making diagonal rows on both sides of the first row until the pastry is covered with apple slices. (I tend not to use the apple ends in order to make the arrangement beautiful.) Sprinkle with the full 1/2 cup of sugar and dot with the butter.
• Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the pastry is browned and the edges of the apples start to brown. Rotate the pan once during cooking. If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to let the air out. Don't worry! The apple juices will burn in the pan but the tart will be fine! When the tart's done, heat the apricot jelly together with the Calvados and brush the apples and the pastry completely with the jelly mixture. Loosen the tart with a metal spatula so it doesn't stick to the paper. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss the apples with the lemon juice in a medium bowl. Line a sheet pan with parchment.
• Heat a large frying pan over high heat and add the butter. Wait until it stops foaming and is becoming light brown, and add the diced apples, turbinado sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spread the apples in a layer and cook without moving them for a couple of minutes, then turn the heat to medium-high and sauté, moving the apples around in the pan, until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Scrape out onto the lined sheet pan and allow to cool completely.
• Spread the cooled apples evenly over the pre-baked tart shell.
• Make the almond topping. Beat the egg whites lightly in a bowl, just until slightly foamy. Whisk in the sugar and stir in the almonds. Spread evenly over the apples.
• Place the tart on a sheet pan and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the crust and topping are golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.

Steps:

• Make crust: In a small bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder; set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and almond extract; beat until combined. With mixer on low, add flour mixture; mix just until combined.
• Using an offset spatula or table knife, spread dough in a 9-inch removable bottom tart pan, evenly covering bottom and sides. Freeze for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees, and make filling: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and lemon zest; mix until combined. With mixer on low, add flour and then cream; mix just until smooth (do not overmix). Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, toss apple with lemon juice; arrange evenly in tart pan over chilled dough. Spread filling over apple; sprinkle with almonds and remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Place tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until golden and set, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, stir together 1 1/3 cups of flour and salt. Add the butter, 1 egg yolk and water, and stir until the mixture forms large crumbs. If it is too dry to press a handful together, stir in more water. Press the dough into a ball, and wrap in plastic wrap. Flatten slightly, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until firm. This part can be done up to three days in advance.
• To make the frangipane, cream together the butter and 1/2 cup of sugar in a medium bowl until light and soft. Gradually mix in the egg and the remaining egg yolk one at a time. Stir in the apple brandy. Stir 2 tablespoons of flour into the ground almonds, then mix into the batter. Set aside.
• Roll the pastry dough out to about a 12 inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Fold loosely into quarters, and center the point in a 10 inch tart or pie pan. Unfold dough, and press into the bottom and up the sides. Prick with a fork all over, and flute the edges. Return pastry to the refrigerator to chill until firm.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Place a baking sheet inside the oven while it preheats.
• Spoon the frangipane into the chilled pastry, and spread into an even layer. Arrange the apple slices in an overlapping spiral pattern. Each slice should have one edge pressed into the frangipane until it touches the pastry base, and then overlap the previous slice. Start at the outside edge, and work towards the center.
• Place the pie plate on top of the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the filling begins to brown. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake for another 10 minutes, then sprinkle sugar over the top of the tart. Return to the oven for 10 more minutes, or until the sugar caramelizes slightly.
• Cool the tart on a wire rack. A short time before serving, warm the apricot jelly. Add some water if necessary to make it a liquid consistency. Brush onto the tart for a nice shine.

Steps:

• First, make the pastry. Using a free-standing mixer fitted with a beater attachment (or an electric hand whisk and large bowl), mix the butter and sugar until smooth and pale. Reduce the speed, slowly add the flour, then just before it's fully combined, add the egg yolk and mix briefly until smooth (if the pastry is dry add 1 tsp cold water). Remove the pastry from the bowl, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge overnight, or for at least 1 hr.
• For the frangipane, cream the butter and icing sugar in a freestanding mixer or with an electric hand whisk until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs one at a time, then fold in the almonds and calvados and beat for 3 mins more. Chill until needed.
• Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3. Roll out the pastry on a well-floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin. Gently press the pastry into either a 23cm tart ring on a baking sheet or a 23cm fluted tart tin (the pastry may crack - patch up any holes with leftover pastry). Trim the edges neatly, then chill in the fridge for 20 mins.
• Stand the tart tin (if using) on a baking sheet, then spoon in the frangipane and smooth with the back of the spoon, leaving a 0.5cm gap at the top. Peel and core the apples, then cut into 4mm slices using a mandolin or knife across the width of the apple so there's a hole in the middle of each slice. Arrange the apples on top of the frangipane. Sieve a good layer of icing sugar on top, then bake for 1 hr-1 hr 15 mins or until the apples are caramelised and the frangipane is cooked (use a skewer to check). Leave to cool for 30 mins before serving.
• Next make the Chantilly. Whip the double cream and icing sugar to soft peaks, then add the Calvados and vanilla seeds, and whisk again until the mixture holds its shape. Chill in the fridge until you are ready to serve with the tart.