French Apple Tart

I made my first apple pie as a sophomore in high school for my crush at the time, Aaron. I worked diligently all day making this humongous apple pie with the fancy lattice work and everything. My motivation was based on the philosophy that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. I still believe this rule with 2 exceptions: one, food is the way to any person's heart, not just a man; and two, the food needs to actually be good for the rule to work. I never even tasted that first apple pie, and the relationship went nowhere, so I can only conclude that the pie was a dud, but that turned out to be a good thing because the guy was a dud too.

Nevertheless, I stayed far away from any kind of pie making and anything to do with apples for quite some time. I was in truth intimidated by apples, I thought you needed one of those fancy Pampered Chef apple peeler/corer tools. I thought wrong. All you need for baking apples is a vegetable peeler and a melon baller. Peel apple, cut in half, take out core with melon baller, slice , done. This is a great method when working with pears as well!

I use apple butter on this tart, which is widely available this time of year. I buy mine at this wonderful little cafe, thats food probably deserves it's own post! If you don't have any apple butter, try reducing some apple cider, and topping the apples with that. This tart will make your house smell so so good, be sure to serve a la mode and I think you will have a sure fire path to anyones heart, whomever that may be!

French Apple Tart
Serves 6-8

Tools: One 8 or 9 inch tart, quiche, or creme brulee pan

Pastry

1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and diced
1/4 cup ice water

Note: Instead you could use a 1/2 sheet premade puff pastry, but only do this if tart is going to be eaten all in the same day. Roll out puff pastry into tart pan and proceed to the apple step!

Place flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is in small bits and looks like little peas. With the processor running, pour in the ice water and pulse until dough is combined. Place dough onto a floured surface and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least a hour and up to one day.

Apple Topping

2 green apples, such as Gravenstein or Granny Smith
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced into small pieces.
1/4 cup apple butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line your tart pan with parchment paper. Roll the dough into a circle. Dough may be sticky, if so just keep adding a little flour until dough is manageable. Place dough in the tart pan and using a knife, trim the edges. Refrigerate prepared dough until ready to use.


Peel and core apples. Slice the apples into half moons about 1/4 inch thick. Place apple slices overlapping in diagonal rows, until the pastry is completely covered. Sprinkle with the sugar and dot with the butter. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour until the pastry and apples start to brown, rotating once. When the tart is done, heat up the apple butter and brush over apples. Serve warm with ice cream! I recommend Haagen Dazs Dolce De Leche!