I’m delving into the world of French pastry today with this Almond Apple Tart.
And, I’m relieved to say that it wasn’t nearly as scary as I thought it would be.
The French(ish) dessert is perfect if you want to make something that, yes, takes a little bit of time but will really impress your guests (and yourself!).
Why is Almond Apple Tart the book-inspired recipe for The Last Lady B?
I was originally going to make an almond cake as the book-inspired recipe for The Lady Lady B. Main character Evie is always dabbing almond blossom scent on as perfume, which I loved.
And, almond cakes appear a few times in the book since the story takes place at Christmas.
Then I read the very end of The Last Lady B. And I quickly switched my book-inspired recipe from almond cake to an apple tart. Because apple tart is consumed during a very important convesation.
I decided to make it an Almond Apple Tart so I could still add that nod to almond cake in there.
Why I love Almond Apple Tart
This tart has lots of my favorite things in it.
The crust is made with a simple pate sucre, which is basically a sugar cookie. A French sugar cookie.
It’s very similar to my Lemon Sable Cookies and the chocolate crust I made for my Blood Orange Tart.
Then there’s the frangipane layer, which I’ll talk more about in a minute. But, basically, it’s an almond flour cake – which is then baked into the tart crust.
I mean, that can’t be bad, right? (Unless you’re allergic to almonds. In which case, this recipe is not for you.)
And, finally, there’s the thin, delicate, gorgeous layer of shiny apple slices. I love me a good apple dessert, and I feel like Almond Apple Tart is a great way to use apples in the warmer months since this dessert doesn’t evoke fall flavors.
In true French pastry fashion, Almond Apple Tart isn’t overly sweet. It’s just the right amount of sugar, carbs, and fruit all in one tasty bite.
Let’s talk frangipane
Almond Apple Tart is made with frangipane, which is a pastry filling made with almond flour, eggs, and sugar.
Now, don’t get all nervous because I said “pastry filling.” Of all the French pastries in the world, a frangipane tart is one of the easiest to make. I say that as someone who despises complicated desserts. So, you can trust me on this.
I first tasted frangipane in Paris. The French throw frangipane into a lot of cakes and tarts, and that makes me so happy. I love anything almond-flavored, and I adored the slightly chewy, cakey texture of frangipane.
Making homemade frangipane is laughably simple. It’s similar to making a cake, but with fewer ingredients and with almond flour instead of all-purpose flour.
I plan to put frangipane into a lot more desserts from now on!
What do you serve with Apple Almond Tart?
Keep things simple – serve Almond Apple Tart with a dollop of fresh whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. If you want to get a little decadent, I can’t imagine that a drizzle of caramel sauce would be bad.
A simple French pastry is delightful after a delectable French-inspired dinner of Coq au Vin, Baked Sea Scallops, Red Wine Pasta, or Basil and Goat-Cheese Stuffed Chicken.
Or, give yourself a lunchtime treat after some Heirloom Tomato Galette, Soupe au Pistou, or Lobster Tortellini Salad.
If you can’t get enough things almond, try making my Pignoli Cookies, Orange Almond Flour Cake, or Almond Kentucky Butter Cake.
Almond Apple Tart
Ingredients
PATE SUCRE TART CRUST
- ½ cup unsalted butter cold
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp milk
- powdered sugar for rolling out the dough
HOMEMADE FRANGIPANE
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 1 ½ cups almond flour
APPLE TOPPING
- 2-3 apples thinly sliced (unpeeled)
- Juice from ½ lemon
- 2 tbsp apricot jam
Instructions
PATE SUCRE TART CRUST PREP INSTRUCTIONS
- Slice butter into thin pats. Set aside.
- Separate the egg yolk from the white. Discard egg white or save for another use. Set egg yolk aside.
- Cut a piece of plastic wrap and place it on your work surface.
MAKING THE PATE SUCRE TART CRUST
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with an S-shaped blade (the standard blade), pulse together the butter and granulated sugar until combined.
- Add in the egg yolk, salt, vanilla extract, almond extract, and milk. Pulse until mixture is smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add ½ cup of all-purpose flour to the food processor and pulse until just combined. Scrape down sides of bowl, then add the remaining ½ cup of all-purpose flour and pulse until all flour is just incorporated and you have a soft, moist dough.
- Scrape the dough onto the prepared piece of plastic wrap and wrap it up. Pat the dough into ½”-thick disc.
- Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.
ROLLING OUT THE TART CRUST
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Spray an 8” fluted tart pan with baking spray and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Sprinkle some powdered sugar on your work surface and on your rolling pin. Unwrap the tart dough disc and place it on the powdered work surface.
- Begin rolling out the dough into a large circle that’s larger than the 8” tart pan and about 1/4 -inch thick. If the dough starts to stick to your work surface, dust it very lightly with powdered sugar. There should be a good amount of extra dough that will hang over the sides of the pan.
- Carefully place the dough over the prepared tart pan. Use your knuckles (or a clean glass) to gently press the dough into the bottom and the fluted edges of the pan, taking care not to stretch and tear the dough.
- Take the dough hanging over the edges of the pan and fold it over the inside of the tart pan. Gently press the extra dough against the dough already lining the edges of the pan. Make sure that the crust is the same thickness around the entire pan and along the bottom of the pan. This double layer will help make the sides of the tart sturdy once it bakes.
- Use a sharp knife to trim the excess dough off the top edges of the tart pan so you have an even crust lining the pan.
- Chill the tart crust on the prepared baking sheet in the fridge for 10 minutes before baking.
BAKING THE TART CRUST
- Remove tart crust and baking sheet from fridge. Poke small holes along the bottom and sides of the tart crust with a thin knife.
- Line the tart crust with crumpled parchment paper. Fill the cavity with baking beans or pie weights, spreading them out to the edges of the pan.
- Blind bake the tart crust at 350F for 20-25 minutes, or just until the parchment no longer sticks to the crust when you start to pull it away.
- Remove the tart pan from the oven. Carefully remove the parchment and beans, then return the tart crust to the oven and bake it for another 3-5 minutes, until the crust no longer looks wet.
- Remove the tart crust from the oven to a cooling rack. Let crust cool 10-15 minutes.
FRANGIPANE INSTRUCTIONS and APPLE PREP
- While your tart crust is cooling, making your frangipane.
- Use a hand-mixer to cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Beat in the egg, almond extract, and almond flour until you have a thick paste. Set aside.
- Slice the apples as thinly as possible, then toss with the lemon juice and set aside.
FILLING, DECORATING, AND BAKING THE ALMOND APPLE TART
- Scoop or pipe the frangipane filling into the cooling tart crust and spread into an even layer.
- Overlap the apple slices in a circle pattern – or in whatever pattern you want!
- Bake Almond Apple Tart at 350 for 45-60 minutes, or until the entire tart is golden brown and the frangipane is cooked through (it should not be mushy when you press the center of the tart).
- Remove Almond Apple Tart from oven and place on a cooling rack. Microwave the apricot jam for 5-10 seconds until it's liquidy. Brush the top of the Apple Almond Tart with the warm apricot jam to give it a shiny glaze.
- Let Almond Apple Tart cool completely before removing from the tart pan and serving
