Normandy Apple Tart


It's September, so I think I'm allowed to start baking with apples.



Before:





And after:





It's a sweet shortcrust that has been par-baked, filled with Creme Frangipane, topped with a layer of thinly sliced Golden Delicious, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, and baked for an hour. I'm waiting patiently for the custard to set so I can try it!

EDIT: Okay, you were all so kind with your compliments that I'm bowing to the pressure. Here's the recipe from Tradtional Cakes & Pastries by Barbara Maher-- the other recipes in the book are fantastic as well!

TARTE NORMANDE AUX POMMES
(Normandy Apple Tart)

22 cm/8 1/2 inch springform pan lined with sweet shortcrust pastry (directions below), chilled
500g/1 lb crisp eating apples (Red or Golden Delicious)
2 tbsp sugar plus extra for dusting
1 tsp cinnamon

FOR THE CREME FRANGIPANE

250 ml/1 cup milk
2 inch vanilla pod. split
3 egg yolks
40g/3 tbsp sugar
40g/4 1/2 tbsp all purpose flour, sifted
pinch salt
1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and browned
1 tbsp ground almonds
1 tbsp calvados or kirsch
100 ml/ 1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp apricot jam

Prick the base of the pastry case and par-bake for 15 minutes (see directions below). Leave to cool.

Make the custard. Bring the milk to a boil and infuse with the vnailla pod. Mix together in a pan the egg yolks, sugar, flour, and salt; remove the vanilla pod and pour the milk on to the mixture, beating all the time. Place the mixture on low heat and stir continously until the custard thickens. Pour the custard into a bowl and beat in the brown butter, alomonds, and calvados. Leave to cool.

Whisk the cream until firm, reserving about three-quarters of it for decoration. Fold the remainder of the cream onto the cooled custard and spread it over the par-baked crust; it should be about half full.

Peel, core, and quarter the apples and cut them into 1/4 inch slices. Pack the slices tightly together and overlapping on the cream in the crust. Scatter over the sugar and cinnamon and bake at 350 F for 60 minutes. When the apples have colored and the pastry is shrinking away from the sides of the pan, lift the tart out of the oven and leave to cool in the pan, set on a wire rack. Brush over the apples with warm apple jam.

Pipe the reserved whipped cream as decoration and dust lightly with sugar just before serving.

SWEET SHORTCRUST RECIPE, slightly abridged

150g/ 1 1/2 cups minus 1 tbsp all-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 tsp salt
50g / 1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon zest
2 egg yolks
110g/ 1/2 cup butter, chilled and cut into cubes

BY HAND: Sift the flour into a mound on the work surface. Make a well in the center and drop in the sugar, lemon zest, and egg yolk. Draw in a little flour from the sides until the sugar is absorbed. Add the butter pieces and blend all ingredients to a crumbly texture. Gather the pastry into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap or foil and chill for at least 30 minutes.

BY FOOD PROCESSOR: Blend the flour, salt, lemon zest and butter for 10-15 seconds to a fine crumb texture. Drop in the egg yolks and blend for a further 10 seconds until the dough forms a compact ball. Wrap and chill.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and carefully lay it over the pan. Ease it into the pan, trim the edges, and prick the base all over with a fork.

To par-bake, lightly press a sheet of foil or wax paper into the pastry case and weigh it down with ceramic pebbles, rice, or dried beans. Pleace on a hot baking sheet and bake at 400 F for 10-15 minutes until the pastry has just set and is barely covered. Remove from the oven and leave to cool 4-5 minutes before removing the paper and the weights.