Combining tangy sliced apples, sweet frangipane and flaky puff pastry, this glazed tart from Calum Franklin is the perfect Christmas dessert.
While there are multiple steps to this recipe, this Glazed Apple Tart is broken down into workable sections to help you better plan for preparation and baking.
It might seem like a big task, but the hard work will pay off with the first taste.
Glazed Apple Tart
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 300g classic puff pastry (see below, or use shop-bought)
- 200g frangipane (see below)
- 80g caster sugar
- 80g unsalted butter, softened
- 6-8 Pink Lady or Granny Smith apples
- 20g icing sugar
- cream, to serve.
To make the frangipane:
- 225g butter, softened
- 225g caster sugar
- 1 vanilla pod, deseeded, seeds retained
- 5 medium-sized eggs
- 225g ground almonds.
1. Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla seeds together until the butter has turned pale and creamy. Add one egg at a time, whisking until each is fully incorporated before adding another.
2. Once all the eggs are incorporated, use a large metal spoon to fold in the almonds until well mixed.
To make the pastry
For the dough:
- 350g strong flour
- 200g plain flour
- 15g table salt
- 115g butter, softened and diced
- 250ml ice-cold water.
For the lock-in butter:
- 500g chilled butter, diced
- 50g strong flour.
1. First prepare the dough. If making the pastry by hand, sift the flour into a large bowl and add the salt, butter and water. Using your fingers, gently mix to an even dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it for five minutes or until smooth. If making the pastry using a mixer, sift the flour into the mixer bowl and add the salt, butter and water. Using a dough hook, work at a medium speed for a few minutes to incorporate the butter into the flour until it forms a smooth dough.
2. Flatten the dough into a neat rectangle, wrap it tightly in cling film and rest in the refrigerator for 45 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the lock-in butter. Thoroughly clean and dry the bowl and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place the butter and flour in the bowl and either work the flour into the butter using a wooden spoon for five to 10 minutes, or use the mixer working at a low speed for two minutes or until everything is well incorporated. Scrape the butter mixture onto the lined tray and, using floured hands, shape it into a square about 1cm thick. Place the butter mixture in the refrigerator until just chilled but not completely hard. (It is important that the chilled dough and lock-in butter are similarly firm, otherwise they will not roll together evenly and this may cause rips and holes in the dough.)
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a large square that is twice the size of the lock-in butter. Place the butter in the centre of the dough but at an angle so that the corners point towards the edges of the dough. Making sure you do not trap any air, fold the corners of the dough over the butter, bringing them into the middle like an envelope. Lightly pinch together all the joins to seal and completely encase the butter.
5. Roll out the dough and butter into a rectangle roughly three times as long as it is wide, using the sides of your hands to make sure the edges are neat and square. Dust any excess flour from the surface of the dough. With the shortest side closest to you, visually divide the dough horizontally into thirds and very lightly dampen the centre third with a little water, then fold the bottom one third of the dough over the centre third. Repeat by folding the remaining top third over the double layer of dough, then tightly wrap the dough in cling-film. Lightly press your finger into the bottom right-hand corner of the dough to make an indentation which signifies the first turn and how the dough was positioned on the board before you put it into the refrigerator.
6. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. (Chilling the pastry between each roll out and fold allows the butter to harden so that clean, even layers of dough and butter are built up.)
7. Unwrap the dough and place it on a lightly floured surface with the indent in the same position as before at the bottom right-hand corner. Next, turn the dough 90 degrees clockwise. Roll out the dough into an 18cm by 25cm rectangle and repeat the folding process. Make sure all corners and sides are straight. Wrap the dough in cling-film again and this time make two indents on the dough in the bottom right corner. Chill in the refrigerator for a further 30 minutes.
8. Repeat the turning and folding processes two more times, each time chilling the dough for 30 minutes and marking with indents in the bottom right-hand corner to make sure the dough is turned in the correct direction. After the final turn, chill the dough in the refrigerator for 45 minutes and then it is ready to use.
Method
1. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into a large circle about 5mm thick. Slide the rolled-out pastry onto the lined baking tray and rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or in the freezer for 10 minutes. Remove the tray from the refrigerator or freezer. Trim the edges of the pastry into a neat circle that measures 24cm in diameter and return to the refrigerator or freezer.
2. Once chilled, remove the pastry from the refrigerator or freezer, and preheat the oven to 185C fan/200C/gas mark 6. With the pastry still on the lined baking tray, and leaving a border of 2cm around the edge, spread around 200g of the frangipane evenly across the pastry.
3. Using a pastry brush, mix the caster sugar and softened butter together to make a paste.
4. Peel and core the apples. Using a mandoline, slice the apples to 2mm thick. Take just over one-quarter of the slices and fan them out in a circle around the outer edge, keeping in line with the edge of the frangipane. Roughly brush the apples with some of the butter mixture.
5. Repeat with the remaining apple slices and butter mixture to create concentric circles until the pastry is covered. Make sure the top layer of apple slices is evenly coated with the butter mixture.
6. Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake the tart for 30 minutes or until the apples are starting to caramelise and the pastry is beginning to crisp up.
7. Remove the tray from the oven. Using a sieve, dust the tart with the icing sugar and then lay another sheet of parchment paper over the top of the apples. Take a second baking tray and lay it on top of that parchment paper. Using a dish towel or oven gloves to protect your hands, quickly flip the tart over so the apples are now facing downwards on the new tray. Lightly press down the top tray and then remove it and the original parchment paper. Return the tart to the oven for a further 20 minutes.
8. Remove the tart from the oven. This time place a serving plate or platter on top of the pastry, and then flip the tart again. Check the apples are evenly glazed and caramelised. If it needs a little longer, flip the tart back again and return it to the oven for a further 10 minutes. Serve warm with spoonfuls of cream.
The Pie Room by Calum Franklin, photography by John Carey, is published by Bloomsbury Absolute. Available now.
Are you a fan of fruit desserts? What do you eat apple pie with?
– With PA
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