French Apple Tart by Karen Yee

French Apple Tart by Karen Yee

 

French Apple Tart (sources: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASPe1G16Zvk and Laura Calder's French Food At Home)

 

Pie Shell

1 ¼ cups flour (150 g)
1 tbsp sugar (12 g)
¼ tsp salt (1.5 g)
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cubed (120 g)
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp ice water (30 ml)

 

Cream Filling

1 egg
1/2tsp Vanilla
 250 g Softened Cream Cheese
1/4cup Sugar

 

Topping

3 Apples (peeled and thinly sliced) I used 2 large red (royal gala is nice) plus 1 Granny Smith
1/4cup Sugar
1/2tsp Cinnamon
A pinch of nutmeg

 

** Apricot or passion fruit jam for glazing (heat up to soften the jam a little)

 

Directions:

 

For the pie shell mix all the ingredients together except water.

When the mixture is crumbly, add water. If the dough is too sticky, add a bit more flour to bind. Add 1 tbsp. at a time. press into a disc.

Wrap the dough up and chill for 30 mins.

Press the cold dough into you 8" pie pan, prick the shell base with a fork all over and chill it for another 15 min.

Meantime, preheat the oven to 220C.

To blind bake the shell, place a piece of parchment paper on the shell, stack another pie pan (similar in size) on it. Press it down firmly and place more weights on top.

Put it into the oven on the lowest rack for 20 mins, then remove the weights, pan and parchment paper and transfer to the middle rack. Continue to bake it till it is slightly golden brown (abt 15 mins).

Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

 

While the pie shell is baking, you can start slicing the apples (thin slices) and set aside. Do not add the sugar and cinnamon yet though.

Then prepare the cream cheese filling.

Cream the cheese and sugar together then add vanilla and egg to it and beat till the mixture is smooth and well mixed. Set aside.

Add sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg to the apple slices and gently mix well.

Spread the cream cheese filling al over the shell, then start layering the apple slices. Sprinkle some castor sugar all over the top of the apples. Watch Beth's video here and learn how to lay the apples: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASPe1G16Zvk

Meantime, preheat your oven to 200C.

Place the tart on the lowest rack for 15mins, then transfer to the middle rack and bake for another 30 to 40 mins.

Remove from the oven and brush some apricot or passion fruit jam a over as a glaze.