This easy French Apple Tart with shortcrust pastry (pâte sablée) is a delicious dessert to make in Winter and for the Holidays, combining a shortcrust pastry, applesauce filling and thinly sliced apples.
Mix the Flour, Icing Sugar and Salt in the bowl of your Food Processor. Add the cold Butter cut into small cubes, then pulse to blend until you get very thin crumbs. You shouldn't see any large lumps of butter anymore.
Add the Egg, preferably pre-whisked, and slowly blend until the dough starts to form (see note 1). Remove from the food processor and bring the dough together into a ball.
Assemble the dough into a large ball and place it between two sheets of baking paper. Roll into a large circle that is 4mm thick (1/6 inch). Place the rolled pastry over a flat tray and leave in the fridge to rest and chill for at least an hour, or up to 24 hours.
Remove the two layers of baking paper and place the pastry inside a 24 cm (9,5 inch) Tart Pan. Slide the dough along the edges of the pan and try to make sure you get a sharp 90 degree angle between the bottom and the sides of the pan.
Place back in the fridge to rest and chill for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight (see note 2).
Preheat your oven on 160 degrees Celsius / 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Dock the pastry (poke the bottom with a fork), cover with baking paper and fill with baking weights or dry beans. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the weights and baking paper and bake for another 15 minutes. Set aside to cool down.
Apple Tart Filling
Peel, core and thinly slice the Apples using a Mandoline or a sharp knife. Place in a bowl with the Lemon Juice and toss to coat.
Fill the pastry crust with the Applesauce and spread it evenly using a spatula or the back of a spoon.
Place the sliced apples in circles over the applesauce, starting from the edges of the tart and going towards the centre. Slightly overlap each circle. Once you get to the centre of the tart, roll a few slices around each other to create a rose pattern and place it in the middle.
Brush the apple slices with the melted butter.
Bake at 160 degrees Celsius / 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the apples are soft.
Glaze (optional)
Mix the apricot jam and water in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, gently brush it over the slices of apples.
Video
Notes
At this point, you should see large lumps and crumbs of dough. If you press the lumps in your hands, they should stick together. Try not to over-mix the pastry at this point.
You will get the best results by chilling the pastry overnight; it can be kept in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking as well.