Classic Apple Tart
I first fell in love with this tart in a tiny pastelería on a sun-drenched street in northern Spain. The combination of a crisp, buttery crust, a delicate layer of cream, and perfectly caramelized apples is pure magic. It’s a timeless classic that brings a little bit of that European café feeling right into my own kitchen.
21Ingredients
- 0 For the Pâte Sablée (Sweet Shortcrust Pastry):
- 250 g All-purpose flour
- 125 g Cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 75 g Powdered sugar
- 1 Large egg yolk
- 2 g Fine sea salt
- 15 -30g (1-2 tablespoons) Ice-cold water
- 0 For the Filling & Topping:
- 3 -4 medium Firm, tart apples (like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
- 15 g (1 tablespoon) Lemon juice
- 25 g Granulated sugar
- 15 g Unsalted butter, melted
- 0 For the Crème Pâtissière (Pastry Cream):
- 250 g Whole milk
- 2 Large egg yolks
- 50 g Granulated sugar
- 20 g Cornstarch
- 5 g (1 teaspoon) Vanilla extract
- 0 For the Glaze:
- 60 g Apricot jam
- 15 g (1 tablespoon) Water
Instructions
Make the pastry: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter and work it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Mix in the egg yolk. Add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough just comes together. Form it into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Roll the chilled dough out on a lightly floured surface to a circle about 3mm thick. Carefully transfer it to a 23cm (9-inch) tart pan with a removable bottom. Trim the edges. Prick the base with a fork, line with parchment paper, and fill with baking beans or uncooked rice. Blind bake for 15 minutes.
Make the pastry cream: While the crust bakes, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium bowl until pale. Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it just begins to simmer. Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Pour everything back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, until it thickens, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Transfer to a bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool slightly.
Prepare the apples: Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples (about 2-3mm thick). Place them in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice to prevent browning.
Assemble and bake: Remove the parchment and weights from the partially baked crust. Spread the slightly cooled pastry cream evenly over the base. Arrange the apple slices on top in a decorative overlapping circular pattern. Brush the apples with the melted butter and sprinkle with the 25g of granulated sugar. Bake for another 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the apples are tender and slightly caramelized.
Glaze and serve: While the tart is baking, heat the apricot jam and water in a small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any solids. Once the tart is out of the oven, brush the warm glaze over the apples. Let the tart cool completely in the pan before serving.
Chef's Tip
Mix different apple varieties (Granny Smith + Golden) for the perfect balance of tartness and sweetness. Brush with apricot jam while still warm for a beautiful shine.
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Classic Apple Tart
Ingredients
- For the Pâte Sablée (Sweet Shortcrust Pastry):
- 250 g All-purpose flour
- 125 g Cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 75 g Powdered sugar
- 1 Large egg yolk
- 2 g Fine sea salt
- 15 -30g (1-2 tablespoons) Ice-cold water
- For the Filling & Topping:
- 3 -4 medium Firm, tart apples (like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
- 15 g (1 tablespoon) Lemon juice
- 25 g Granulated sugar
- 15 g Unsalted butter, melted
- For the Crème Pâtissière (Pastry Cream):
- 250 g Whole milk
- 2 Large egg yolks
- 50 g Granulated sugar
- 20 g Cornstarch
- 5 g (1 teaspoon) Vanilla extract
- For the Glaze:
- 60 g Apricot jam
- 15 g (1 tablespoon) Water
Instructions
- Make the pastry: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter and work it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Mix in the egg yolk. Add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough just comes together. Form it into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Roll the chilled dough out on a lightly floured surface to a circle about 3mm thick. Carefully transfer it to a 23cm (9-inch) tart pan with a removable bottom. Trim the edges. Prick the base with a fork, line with parchment paper, and fill with baking beans or uncooked rice. Blind bake for 15 minutes.
- Make the pastry cream: While the crust bakes, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium bowl until pale. Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it just begins to simmer. Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Pour everything back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, until it thickens, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Transfer to a bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool slightly.
- Prepare the apples: Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples (about 2-3mm thick). Place them in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice to prevent browning.
- Assemble and bake: Remove the parchment and weights from the partially baked crust. Spread the slightly cooled pastry cream evenly over the base. Arrange the apple slices on top in a decorative overlapping circular pattern. Brush the apples with the melted butter and sprinkle with the 25g of granulated sugar. Bake for another 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the apples are tender and slightly caramelized.
- Glaze and serve: While the tart is baking, heat the apricot jam and water in a small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any solids. Once the tart is out of the oven, brush the warm glaze over the apples. Let the tart cool completely in the pan before serving.
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