Introduction to Apple Tart

October 9, 2008

Once in a while R.B. brings up the results of a personality test he took years ago that suggested “pasty chef” as a suitable career option for a guy like him. Then he starts chattering about how much he wants to make an apple pie. I believe this recurring dialog happens just about every fall—apple season. So, to facilitate R.B.’s ever-expanding skill set, we made a beautiful apple tart.

This apple tart, a classic from Julia Child’s book The Way To Cook, is my favorite recipe for its wow factor. I got her brand new book back in 1989 while helping with the demonstration kitchen at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville. Julia Child was there as part of her promotional book tour, and of course, she signed mine “Bon Appétit Mindy!” Until this book, it never occurred to me that I could make pastry beyond a regular old pie.

It was Julia who got me using the food processor for butter pastry. The food processor, in mere seconds, makes unbelievably flaky crust by dispersing the cold fat so nicely throughout the flour. Julia was also big on apple desserts and the merits of Golden Delicious apples. They’re easy to find, have a sweet-tart flavor, and nicely keep their shape when baked. With the all the confusion between eating and cooking apple varieties, I can, at least, always remember that this one works for pie. Lastly, I learned the importance of a shiny finishing glaze for making pastry look French bake-shop fancy. Julia made hers by boiling down strained apricot preserves; I’ve simplified the recipe over the years by using a clear jelly like apple or red current. Brush it on a cooked tart and start gloating!

Here it is 19 years later, and R. B. and I will be at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville this Sunday, October 12 at 3:00pm talking up our new book Cheater BBQ and doing a demo on the Food Stage. Come join us!

Thank You Julia Apple Tart

Pastry
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 sticks cold butter, cut into small pieces
½ cup ice water

About ¼ cup sugar, maybe a little more
2 to 3 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

Glaze
1 cup apple or red current jelly
3 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons rum or bourbon

Put the flour and salt in a food processor. Add the butter pieces. Pulse a few times, just until the flour and butter are evenly combined and crumbly. Add the ice water and pulse a few more times. Gather the dough into a ball. Wrap and refrigerate for an hour or up to a couple of days.

Roll out the dough onto a floured pastry cloth (get one, it makes life much easier) until about 1/8 to ¼-inch thick. Trim the pastry into a large rectangle about 16-inches by 6-inches. Place the pastry onto a large baking sheet. (Be sure your rectangle fits onto your baking sheet). Use a sharp knife to notch out a ½-inch square in each corner. Fold up ½-inch edge on each side. Use fork tines to seal the edges to the tart bottom. Prick holes in the bottom of the tart with a fork.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the sugar over the pastry. Arrange two rows of overlapping apple slices on the pastry. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar.

Bake the tart at 375° F. for about 35 to 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.

Make the glaze while the tart is baking. Combine the jelly, sugar and rum in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened and sticky—225 to 230° F on a candy thermometer.

Brush the warm tart lightly with the glaze. Store the glaze in a covered container in the refrigerator. Warm it up before using it the next time.

Serve the tart warm or at room temperature. Makes about 6 servings.

Note: Bake the pastry scraps brushed with egg wash and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar!

Posted in Desserts