My friend Abby and I had a date to go see a movie on Saturday evening, but due to the abysmal lack of interesting films right now, we decided we would much rather spend the evening baking together. I don't know if there is anything more appealing to me than baking or cooking with someone I love. Trying new recipes, experimenting with different ingredients, laughing and talking about life...what could be better?
Abby and I have only known each other since January, but over the last six months, we've become close friends...we're the type of companioins that look at each other and say, "We most certainly were cut from the same cloth". I had the privilege of cooking in Abby's kitchen on Saturday night, which is much larger than my own, and we tackled what seemed like an intimidating recipe...a French Apple Tart. I think throwing "French" in front of any dessert instantly ups the ante, makes it appear both sophisticated and time consuming, something that only a classically trained pastry chef can pull off. But that sentiment is wrong. Abby and I put on our sweatpants, rolled up our sleeves and laughed our way through a relatively simple recipe that will certainly be making its way to my Thanksgiving table this fall.
Click on the link below the picture to read more about our French Adventure...
Abby and I have only known each other since January, but over the last six months, we've become close friends...we're the type of companioins that look at each other and say, "We most certainly were cut from the same cloth". I had the privilege of cooking in Abby's kitchen on Saturday night, which is much larger than my own, and we tackled what seemed like an intimidating recipe...a French Apple Tart. I think throwing "French" in front of any dessert instantly ups the ante, makes it appear both sophisticated and time consuming, something that only a classically trained pastry chef can pull off. But that sentiment is wrong. Abby and I put on our sweatpants, rolled up our sleeves and laughed our way through a relatively simple recipe that will certainly be making its way to my Thanksgiving table this fall.
Click on the link below the picture to read more about our French Adventure...
Sad to say, but I had never tried making a tart before Saturday evening. As you know, I love making pies, and I've experimented with over a dozen different recipes, but something about "tart" intimidated me...and until this weekend, I didn't own a tart pan.
But tarts are surprisingly simple. They appear more delicate than their heartier cousins, but tart crust is made to hold up well (the addition of an egg does wonders to pastry dough). And tarts will always look prettier than pies...they are a wonderful dessert to have at a dinner party or on a special occasion.
We choose to make a French Apple Tart, and of course felt that our slices would be best topped with a dollop of freshly whipped cream. After a few hours of baking, Abby, Ryan and I sat down to eat our tart, and after a long day, nothing could have tasted better.
I would recommend using a soft, sweet apple (maybe a Gala?) We used granny smiths, which held up "too well" during roasting, making them difficult to mash. Abby and I persevered, of course, but if you don't want to expend unnecessary energy, use an apple that softens up under heat.
We made several adaptations to the original recipe, which I've included below. So if you've never made a tart before, go to the store and buy yourself a tart pan (I bought one for 10 dollars at Williams Sonoma....ten dollars, friends!) You won't be disappointed by your purchase or this recipe.
But tarts are surprisingly simple. They appear more delicate than their heartier cousins, but tart crust is made to hold up well (the addition of an egg does wonders to pastry dough). And tarts will always look prettier than pies...they are a wonderful dessert to have at a dinner party or on a special occasion.
We choose to make a French Apple Tart, and of course felt that our slices would be best topped with a dollop of freshly whipped cream. After a few hours of baking, Abby, Ryan and I sat down to eat our tart, and after a long day, nothing could have tasted better.
I would recommend using a soft, sweet apple (maybe a Gala?) We used granny smiths, which held up "too well" during roasting, making them difficult to mash. Abby and I persevered, of course, but if you don't want to expend unnecessary energy, use an apple that softens up under heat.
We made several adaptations to the original recipe, which I've included below. So if you've never made a tart before, go to the store and buy yourself a tart pan (I bought one for 10 dollars at Williams Sonoma....ten dollars, friends!) You won't be disappointed by your purchase or this recipe.
Rich Tart Pastry
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup powdered sugar
¼ tsp salt
½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 large egg yolks
1 TBSP heavy cream
1. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, and salt. Scatter the butter pieces over the flour mixture and toss with your fingers or fork. Using a pasty blender, cut the butter until the mixture forms large, course crumbs. In a small bowl, combine the eggs and cream, stirring until well blended. Drizzle the egg mixture over the flour mixture and stir until the dough is moist and comes together into a solid ball.
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup powdered sugar
¼ tsp salt
½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 large egg yolks
1 TBSP heavy cream
1. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, and salt. Scatter the butter pieces over the flour mixture and toss with your fingers or fork. Using a pasty blender, cut the butter until the mixture forms large, course crumbs. In a small bowl, combine the eggs and cream, stirring until well blended. Drizzle the egg mixture over the flour mixture and stir until the dough is moist and comes together into a solid ball.
French Apple Tart
For the Filling:
5 apples, cored and peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
3 TBSP sugar
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 TBSP melted butter
1 tsp cinnamon
For the topping:
2 cups peeled and thinly sliced apples
1 TBSP melted butter
2 TBSP brown sugar
¼ cup apricot preserves
1. Prepare rich tart pastry and allow to chill for at least one hour. Roll out the dough and line a 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Pre-bake your piecrust partially.
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line the tart crust with a piece of foil, pressing the foil into the fluted edges of the pan. Fill the foil-lined crust with dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes and then remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes at 350 degrees.
2. For filling: In a large bowl, combine apple pieces, sugar, lemon juice, melted butter and cinnamon. Pour mixture into a casserole dish and bake in a 375 degree oven for 20-30 minutes, or until apples are tender enough to mash with fork. Remove from oven and mash apples until only a few small chunks remain. Let cool to room temperature.
3. Pour filling into pre-baked piecrust. Arrange the apple slices in 2 circular rows, slightly overlapping them to cover the filling completely. Drizzle apples with melted butter and brown sugar.
4. Bake the tart in a 375 degree oven for 45-50 minutes or until apples are soft when pierced with knife. Transfer to rack and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
5. In a small saucepan, heat apricot preserves until melted, about two minutes. Using a pastry brush, spread the preserves gently over the apple slices. Unmold your tart and serve at room temperature.
For the Filling:
5 apples, cored and peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
3 TBSP sugar
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 TBSP melted butter
1 tsp cinnamon
For the topping:
2 cups peeled and thinly sliced apples
1 TBSP melted butter
2 TBSP brown sugar
¼ cup apricot preserves
1. Prepare rich tart pastry and allow to chill for at least one hour. Roll out the dough and line a 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Pre-bake your piecrust partially.
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line the tart crust with a piece of foil, pressing the foil into the fluted edges of the pan. Fill the foil-lined crust with dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes and then remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes at 350 degrees.
2. For filling: In a large bowl, combine apple pieces, sugar, lemon juice, melted butter and cinnamon. Pour mixture into a casserole dish and bake in a 375 degree oven for 20-30 minutes, or until apples are tender enough to mash with fork. Remove from oven and mash apples until only a few small chunks remain. Let cool to room temperature.
3. Pour filling into pre-baked piecrust. Arrange the apple slices in 2 circular rows, slightly overlapping them to cover the filling completely. Drizzle apples with melted butter and brown sugar.
4. Bake the tart in a 375 degree oven for 45-50 minutes or until apples are soft when pierced with knife. Transfer to rack and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
5. In a small saucepan, heat apricot preserves until melted, about two minutes. Using a pastry brush, spread the preserves gently over the apple slices. Unmold your tart and serve at room temperature.
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