Prue Leith’s Tarte Aux Pommes

Step 1

Make the pâte brisée. Tip the flour and salt into a bowl.Rub the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips untilit resembles breadcrumbs. Make a well in the middle, add theegg yolk (reserving the white) and 2 tablespoons of the ice-coldwater. Using a table knife, bring the mixture together to forma dough, adding the extra 1 tablespoon of water if needed.

Step 2

Lightly flour the work surface, tip the pastry out of thebowl and shape the dough into a ball, then wrap and chillit for 20 minutes.

Step 3

Make the apple purée. While the pâte brisée is chilling,tip the apples into a pan, add the lemon juice and butter, thensimmer for 20 minutes, until the apples are soft and any liquidhas evaporated. Remove from the heat and crush the apples witha potato masher or wooden spoon to a coarse purée. Leave to cool.

Step 4

Make the pastry case. Roll out the pâte brisée on a lightlyfloured work surface to a 30cm round and use the round toline the tart tin. Chill for 20 minutes.

Step 5

Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/Gas Line the pastrycase with baking paper and baking beans and bake blind for20 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the reserved egg white with afork. Remove the baking beans and paper and brush the insideof the case with the egg white. Return the case to the ovenand bake for 10 minutes to dry out the base. Leave to cool.Turn the oven off for now.

Step 6

Make the lemon syrup. Pour 100ml of water into a pan,add the sugar and lemon juice and bring to the boil. Reducethe heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until the sugar dissolves.Pour the syrup into a large bowl and leave to cool slightly.

Step 7

Make the frangipane. Beat the butter and sugar in a standmixer fitted with the beater, on medium speed for 3-5 minutes,until pale and creamy. Add the egg and mix until combined.Turn the speed to low, add the ground almonds and calvadosand mix until just combined; do not overmix.

Step 8

Spoon the cold apple purée into the pastry ease and levelit with a palette knife, then spoon blobs of the frangipaneon top and spread it out into an even layer.

Step 9

Make the topping. Reheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/Gas Place the apple slices in the warm lemon syrup and turn to coat.Working from the outside edge of the pastry case, dab each appleslice on kitchen paper to remove any excess syrup and arrangethe slices in concentric overlapping circles. When you reach themiddle, slice a few of the apple slices in half so they are waferthin and shape them into an open rose to fill the hole in thecentre of the tart. Brush all the apple slices with the meltedbutter and bake for 30 minutes.

Step 10

Make the apricot glaze. Crush the apricots and jam sugartogether in a small pan using the potato masher, then placethe pan on a low heat. Leave the fruit and sugar to slump andthen increase the heat slightly to bring the mixture to the boil.Immediately reduce the heat again to a strong simmer, andcook for 4 minutes, until you have a jammy consistency. Removefrom the heat and pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve.Stir 2 tablespoons of water into the purée to give a thin glaze.

Step 11

Remove the tart from the oven, leave it to cool for 5 minutes,then brush the top with the apricot glaze.