Normandy Apple Tart
As a native southern Californian, I grew up with a rather different appreciation for Fall. Changing colors and colder temperatures were distant notions that existed mainly in photographs and calendars. Now that I live in the Midwest, I have come to witness the power of the changing seasons. Not only do our bodies have to adjust to the changes but our minds and diets as well. Seasonality plays an ever important role in an area where the the climate drops dramatically and dictates what and when things grow.
Apples are sort of the quintessential fall fruit for me. Their season arrives with a welcome relief after a usually humid summer. One of my favorite apple dishes is the Normandy Apple Tart - or Tarte Normande. I remember enjoying this tart in France. Sometimes it had a mixture of applesauce and ground almond underneath a buttery layer of thinly sliced appples; other times, it had apple wedges that were baked with a rich and inviting custard that could bring comfort to any cloudy day.
In this recipe, adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s latest cookbook, Baking: From My Home to Yours
FOR THE APPLESAUCE:
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 lbs. apples (in my case, Red and Golden Delicious)
- 1/3 cup of water + more, if necessary
- 1 small lump of rock sugar or 1 tsp. raw sugar
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- crème de marron
STEPS:
- Cut and quarter the apples. Place them in a 2-3 qt. heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the water, sugar and salt. Cover with a lid.
- Cook over med-low heat, stirring from time to time, for approximately 20-25 minutes. Apples should be soft enough to be mashed with a sppon.
- Pass the apples through the food mill, into a bowl.
- Add about 2 Tbl. of crème de marron and stir to combine. Set aside to cool slightly.
FOR THE PÂTE SABLÉE:
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 9 Tbl. very cold, (or frozen) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 large egg yolk
- 9-inch tart pan
STEPS:
- In a mixing bowl (preferably glass or metal), thoroughly combine the flour, sugar and salt.
- Using a pastry cutter, blend the butter pieces with the flour mixture. Blend until you get pea-sized bits.
- Add the egg yolk and blend with a spoon or your hands until just combined, being careful not to overwork the dough.
- Reserve a small piece of dough for patching up the tart crust, if needed.
- Pour the dough onto the tart pan and press the dough into the pan and up the sides. (The crumbly nature of this dough makes it difficult to roll, but you can try if you like).
- Freeze the crust for at least 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 °F.
- Butter the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil and fit the foil, butter side down, tightly against the crust.
- Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and partially bake the crust (on the center rack) for about 20-25 minutes. Remove the foil and patch the crust with the reserved dough, if necessary.
- Transfer the tart pan onto a cooling rack.
FOR THE TOPPING:
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 medium apples (preferably Golden Delicious)
- homemade applesauce [see above recipe]
- 1 large egg, beaten with 1/2 tsp. water, for egg wash
- 1/4 cup of apple jelly + 1 tsp. water, for the glaze (optional)
STEPS:
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Peel and the apples and cut them in half and remove the cores.
- Cut each apple in half lengthwise and in half (again lengthwise)
- Cut thin slices from each of the quarters (about 7 slices).
- Next, top the cooled tart crust with the applesauce and spread out in an even layer.
- Top the applesauce with the apple slices - you can use whatever configuration fancies you. Perhaps a rosette pattern?
- Brush the apples with the egg wash and bake for approx. 45-50 minutes. The apples should be golden, their edges slightly browned and soft enough to be pierced easily with a tip of a knife.
- Transfer to a cooling rack.
- Heat the apple jelly and water in a small sauce pan until liquefied. Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the tart with the glaze.
- Serve the tart warm or room temperature.
