Apple Tart

Ingredients

Pâte Sucrée: 125 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature, cubed 62.5 grams confectioners’ sugar 105 grams whole eggs, at room temperature 250 grams cake flour ¼ teaspoon baking powder Egg Wash (1 part heavy cream and 4 parts egg yolks)

Crème D’Amande: 75 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature 75 grams granulated sugar 75 grams almond flour, sifted 75 grams whole eggs, at room temperature 30(+) milliliters rum (optional) Apple Compote: 555 grams Golden Delicious apples 3/4 lemon 112.5 grams granulated sugar 1.5 vanilla beans, split lengthwise

Apple Garnish: 3–5+ Gala apples Melted butter Servings: 8 Total Time: ~2 hours

Instructions

Prepare the Tart Dough:

1. Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add sugar and beat on low to combine. Raise the speed to medium-high and beat until light and creamy.

2. Add the eggs in small increments, mixing well after each addition.

When the mixture is homogenous, add the cake flour and baking powder all at once. Mix at slow speed until the flour is incorporated. Do not overmix.

3. Form the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic film and refrigerate overnight.

4. Lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough out to a circle 10 inches wide and ~1/8 inch thick. Brush off excess flour and transfer the dough to the tart pan. Pinch off excess dough around the edges and use a fork to dock the dough. Transfer to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Prepare the Apple Compote:

5. Peel the Golden Delicious apples, remove the cores and generously rub the apples with the cut lemon to prevent discoloration. Cut the applies into ¼ inch cubes of equal size to prevent uneven cooking.

6. Combine sugar and 75 milliliters of water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the apples and scrape the seeds from the vanilla beans into the pan. Add the bean, cover and place over low heat for about 20 minutes while occasionally stirring with a wooden spoon. The apples should turn translucent and all the moisture should be evaporated. The apples should not disintegrate.

7. Remove the vanilla bean from the compote. Using a spatula, spread the finished compote on a plastic film-wrapped sheet pan to stop the cooking. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool.

Prepare the Crème D’amande:

8. Combine the butter, sugar and almond flour in a standing mixer with the paddle attachment. Beat for 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. This step is critical.

9. Add half of the eggs, beat until incorporated. Add the rest of the eggs and beat until incorporated. Add the rum and refrigerate the cream for up to a week.

Adapted From: “The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Pastry Arts” by the French Culinary Institute & Judith Choate and Youtube link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l8jE9pWAlw Assemble and Bake the Tart:

10. Preheat the oven to 320°F. Remove the tart shell from the refrigerator and blind bake for 15 minutes.

11. Remove the tart from the pan and allow it to cool. Once cooled, brush the shell with egg wash and return to the oven at 320°F for another 10 minutes.

12. Remove the tart from the oven and allow it to reach room temperature. Once cooled, fill the shell with the crème d’amande.

Using an offset spatula, make sure the cream is evenly distributed and smooth.

13. Bake for another 15 minutes and remove the tart and let it cool.

Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.

14. Remove the tart from the freezer and spoon ~3/4ths of the compote on top of the cream layer. Using a spatula, shape the compote to look like a small mountain (more in the middle than the sides).

Prepare the Garnish:

15. Slice the cored Gala apples in half lengthwise. Place each piece cut side down and trim ~1/2 inch of both shorter sides. Using a mandoline, slice the apples into thin pieces, ideally 1-2mm thick (3mm also works if necessary, but it is pushing it).

16. Layer the apple slices on the tart, beginning at the outside. The edge of each apple slice should reach the middle of the previous one. Each layer should slowly move closer to the middle. When you reach the top, spoon any remaining compote to fill any gaps.

17. When there is only a little bit of room left, create the flower bud by layering 5-8 apple slices and rolling them together (see below).

Insert into the middle of the tart.

18. Brush the assembled apple slices with melted butter and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.

Flower Bud Visualization

Roll from the top layer down