French cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Normandy Apple Tart

Norman apple tart on shortcrust pastry with almond cream and a generous splash of Calvados.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 200 g flour
• 100 g soft butter
• 60 g powdered sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 pinch salt
• 120 g soft butter
• 120 g sugar
• 150 g ground almonds
• 2 eggs
• 4 cl Calvados
• 4 apples
• 2 tbsp apricot jam

Instructions

1. Mix the flour, powdered sugar and salt, work in 100 g soft butter in flakes, add 1 egg yolk and 1 tbsp cold water, gather the dough smoothly and chill for 45 min.
2. For the almond cream, beat 120 g soft butter with the sugar for 3 min until pale and fluffy, beat in the eggs one at a time and finally fold in the ground almonds and 3 cl Calvados.
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C top/bottom heat, roll the dough out to 3 mm, line a 26 cm tart tin with it and prick the base thoroughly with a fork.
4. Spread the almond cream evenly over the base; peel, quarter and core the apples and cut into 3 mm thin slices, then arrange them overlapping in a fan pattern in circles on the cream.
5. Bake the tart 45–50 min, until the almond cream has risen firm and is golden brown between the apple slices, and the apple edges are lightly browned.
6. Bring the apricot jam to a boil with the remaining Calvados, brush it over the still-warm tart and serve lukewarm with a dollop of crème fraîche.