Description
Michel Roux Jr’s Puff Pastry Apple Tart is a classic French dessert featuring a flaky all-butter puff pastry base topped with thinly sliced apples arranged in a beautiful fan pattern. The tart is finished with a sprinkling of sugar and butter, then baked to golden perfection. Served with a luxurious vanilla-infused chantilly cream and optionally enhanced with a splash of warm calvados, this elegant tart balances buttery crispness with sweet, tender apples for a delightful treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry
- 200g ready-made all-butter puff pastry
Apple Filling
- 2 tablespoons stewed apple or sweet apple sauce
- 6 apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
- 2 tablespoons caster sugar
- 40g unsalted butter, diced
Egg Wash
- 1 free-range egg yolk, beaten
Chantilly Cream
- 250ml double cream
- 1 tablespoon icing sugar
- 1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped out
Optional
- Calvados, to serve
Instructions
- Prepare the pastry: Roll out the puff pastry on a clean surface into a large, 3mm-thick sheet. Cut a circle about 25cm in diameter using a bowl or plate. Crimp the edge and flip the dough over onto a baking tray. Chill for at least 10 minutes to help it hold its shape during baking.
- Spread apple sauce: Remove the pastry from the fridge and evenly spread the stewed apple or sweet apple sauce over the surface, leaving a 1cm border around the edges to create a frame for the apples.
- Preheat oven: Set the oven to 180°C fan (gas mark 6) and allow it to fully heat to ensure even baking.
- Prepare apples: Take the peeled, cored, and quartered apples and slice each quarter into pieces about the thickness of a two-pound coin. This ensures consistent cooking and a delicate texture.
- Arrange apples: Starting from the outer edge of the pastry, arrange the apple slices in a fan-like pattern working your way inwards. Use the largest slices on the outside and the smallest slices in the center for visual appeal.
- Bake the tart: Sprinkle the caster sugar evenly over the arranged apples and dot with the diced butter. Brush the pastry border with the beaten egg yolk to achieve a golden, glossy finish. Bake the tart for 30 minutes or until the pastry is risen and golden brown.
- Make chantilly cream: In a clean bowl, whisk the double cream together with the icing sugar and vanilla seeds until soft peaks form. Set aside in a cool place until ready to serve.
- Serve: Transfer the tart to a serving plate. If desired, gently warm a splash of calvados in a small pan, ignite carefully to flambé, then pour over the tart for added aroma and flavor. Serve immediately with the chantilly cream on the side.
Notes
- Using all-butter puff pastry is essential for the best flavor and flakiness.
- Chilling the pastry before baking prevents shrinkage and helps it maintain shape.
- Adjust the amount of sugar according to the sweetness of your apples and personal preference.
- Be cautious when flambéing calvados—keep a safe distance and have a fire extinguisher nearby.
- Chantilly cream can be prepared ahead and kept chilled up to a few hours before serving.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute double cream with a suitable non-dairy whipping cream.
