11 Classic French Dishes You Need to Know - The Spruce Eats
11 Classic French Dishes to Master · An Impressive Appetizer: A Savory, Flavorful Tart · A French Bistro Salad: The Classic Nicoise · For the Soup: ...
classic tarte aux pommes
French cuisine features many delicious appetizers, from simple to complex. A tart is an ideal recipe to start with as it feeds the whole group and you only have to slice it to serve. A <anchor>classic tarte aux pommes</anchor> is the delicious apple tart found in every patisserie and restaurant in France. It comes filled with a soft, sweet homemade frangipane filling topped off with caramelized apples and fanned in the distinctive, striking spiral pattern making it instantly recognizable. Finished with a light apricot jam glaze, this classic dish is loved around the world, not just in France.
Classic French Tarte Aux Pommes Recipe
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# Classic French Tarte Aux Pommes

By

Rebecca Franklin is a freelance lifestyle writer and recipe developer. Her expertise is in French cuisine, which she writes about and teaches.

Updated on 09/15/21

Tested by

Danielle is a James Beard Award-winning food writer and editor based in Portland, Oregon.

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Prep: 25 mins

Cook: 40 mins

Chill: 3 hrs 20 mins

Total: 4 hrs 25 mins

Servings: 6 servings

57 ratings

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A classic tarte aux pommes is the delicious apple tart found in every patisserie and restaurant in France. It comes filled with a soft, sweet homemade frangipane filling topped off with caramelized apples and fanned in the distinctive, striking spiral pattern making it instantly recognizable. Finished with a light apricot jam glaze, this classic dish is loved around the world, not just in France.

The universally loved apple pie flavor enriched with luscious almond cream and a beautiful presentation makes it the perfect ending to a dinner party, light lunch, or simple supper, and even as a treat with a cup of tea or coffee. The tart needs little else with it, but if you must, a little Chantilly Cream is more than enough.

The Spruce / Bahareh Niati

"This apple tart is elegant looking and delicious. If you make the dough and frangipane ahead of time, you could bake this on a weeknight. For easy dough preparation, I used a food processor. The crust was flaky and buttery. I only needed two apples. One variety I used, Pink Pearl, added a gorgeous color." — Danielle Centoni

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

## Ingredients

For the Dough:

- 1 1/4cups (150 grams) all-purpose flour

- 2tablespoonsgranulated sugar

- 1/2teaspoontable salt

- 3 1/2 ounces (7tablespoons) cold unsalted butter

- 3 to 4tablespoons cold water

For the Frangipane:

- 1 1/2tablespoonsunsalted butter, softened

- 2tablespoonsgranulated sugar

- 1/4cup almond meal

- 1largeegg yolk

- 1/2teaspoon pure vanilla extract

- 2teaspoonsall-purpose flour

For Assembling:

- 2 to 4 medium sweet-tart cooking apples, cored, peeled, and thinly sliced

- 1/4 cup apricot jelly, or strained apricot jam, heated until partially melted

## Steps to Make It

### Make the Dough

1. Gather the ingredients for the dough.

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2. In a small bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and salt.

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3. Using a pastry cutter, large-tined fork, or a food processor on pulse setting, cut the chilled butter into the flour until it resembles coarse sand with a few pea-sized pieces of butter still visible.

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4. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the cold water onto the mixture and toss a few times gently, just until starts to hold together. Add another tablespoon of cold water if necessary; the dough should hold together when squeezed but not be so wet it's sticky.

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5. Gather the dough into a ball, flatten into a thick disk shape, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for several hours before working with it.

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### Make the Frangipane

1. Gather the ingredients for the frangipane.

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2. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a handheld mixer) and cream together.

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3. Add the almond meal and mix to combine.

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4. Add the egg yolk and vanilla, gently beating until all is mixed.

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5. Finish by adding the flour and combining until well mixed. Refrigerate until ready to use.

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### Assemble and Bake

1. Gather remaining ingredients along with the dough and frangipane. Preheat the oven to 400 F.

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2. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough a circle large enough to fit a 9-inch or 10-inch fluted tart pan. It should be about 11 to 12 inches wide and 1/8 inch thick.

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3. Lay the dough into the tart pan and press it into the bottom and up the sides.

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4. Roll the rolling pin across the top of the pan to trim off the excess dough. Chill the pastry for 20 minutes.

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5. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet.

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6. Spread the frangipane evenly over the bottom of the chilled pastry shell, arrange the apple slices in a fan or spiral shape over the frangipane, and bake the tart for 12 to 15 minutes until the crust begins to turn golden brown.

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7. Reduce the heat to 350 F and continue cooking for 20 to 30 minutes until the apples are tender, but not overly soft, and the frangipane is cooked through and not sticky. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the apple tart to cool for 10 minutes.

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8. Brush the melted apricot jelly over the warm apples and serve the tart at room temperature.

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### Tips

- The tart does not keep well and isn't good for freezing, so enjoy it while you can. After a couple of days, the pastry will start to soften, which spoils the taste and texture.
- This is a classic tart, and as such should not be changed for other fruits or fillings.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)419Calories21g Fat55g Carbs6g Protein

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Nutrition FactsServings: 6Amount per servingCalories419% Daily Value*Total Fat 21g27%Saturated Fat 11g55%Cholesterol 105mg35%Sodium 217mg9%Total Carbohydrate 55g20%Dietary Fiber 4g15%Total Sugars 27gProtein 6gVitamin C 7mg34%Calcium 40mg3%Iron 2mg10%Potassium 223mg5%*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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