French Apple Tart

There's such a glut of apples this year, and it seems a shame to waste them.  This apple tart is a fabulous recipe for windfall apples, as they are seldom perfect, so any bumps and bruises can be cut away.   There are many ways of making this tart, and you can add cinnamon or other spices, but I prefer brandy and lemon to give the apples a lovely tangy taste.  It can be dairy-free if you use a dairy-free spread.

Bake the tart blind, or not, as you prefer.  I like to avoid a soggy bottom, but sometimes there simply isn't time to pre-bake.  I've given the quantities for one tart, but it is not much extra work to make several at once, and then freeze the remainder.  I over-filled the one below, so it did bubble up a bit, but tasted good nonetheless!

French Apple Tart

  French Apple Tart

Tart:

8oz/220g plain flour

2 tbsp caster sugar

4oz/110g butter/baking spread

1 egg

cold water

Apple Filling:

8oz prepared cooking apples (peeled, cored and chopped)

1-2 cooking apples peeled, cored and sliced thinly

up to 3oz brown sugar

good slug of brandy

1tbsp lemon juice

1 jar apricot glaze (you can use sieved jam or marmalade instead)

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C, and make up the pastry by hand or in a processor.   Use it to line a 9” loose bottom flan tin, preferably French-style one with a fluted edge.  Chill the pastry before baking it blind.  (If you don’t bake it blind, preheat a baking sheet and put the tart onto it so that you avoid a soggy bottom)

Put the chopped apples into a pan, adding lemon juice and a good slug of brandy.  Then add sugar to taste.  Simmer gently until the apples have broken down, but not become a total purée.  

Pour the apple mix into the tart case, spreading evenly.  Thinly slice the remaining cooking apple, and arrange the slices over the tart in overlapping patterns.   Sprinkle with some caster sugar before baking until the tart is slightly browned.   Melt some of the apricot glaze in a small pan until any lumps have gone. 

Remove the tart from the oven and brush with the apricot glaze.   Serve hot or cold.