So last week was spring break in my neck of the woods, so my family planned a nice little break from the hectic world we live in. My husband was doing business in Europe, so my kids, my good friend and sitter and I met up with him in France. We had planned on driving all over the countryside, but once we got to Normandy we decided just to stay. It was amazingly, wonderfully peaceful. I had a chance to just take it all in: the sights, the kindness of the people, the smells- well, all but Tony’s sausage. But that’s for another day. As for the food- it just doesn’t get better than this.
One of my favorite desserts was in a little town called Caen (pronounced cay-an). They had a traditional Apple Tart on the menu, and knowing that Normandy is well known for it’s apples, it was the dessert of choice. My mouth waters just remembering the flavors! The crust tasted exactly like my friend Angelia’s cobbler crust. The apples were flavorful, soft, and arranged beautifully. Although it may not have been the growing season, in Europe many have cellars to preserve their fresh produce long after the growing season. Although I didn’t ask, I’d like to think that’s where my apples came from.
Once I got home I did a little research on the tart. There are a few variations available with the tart. The tart can either have a apple compost or apple sauce underneath the arranged apples. Mine had compote, and after giving it a try I definitely prefer it that way. On top can either be thin slices or thicker wedges.
What is a compote, you ask? A compote is basically whole fruits that are cooked in water, spices and sugar, and served in it’s own syrup. It can have nuts or coconut, or even candied fruit or nuts in it. In France though, the base is always apples, and the apples are chopped, cooked down, and often pureed, sometimes with with other fruits added to it.
I began my tart with the crust. A tart crust is different from a pie crust, in that it’s got a lot of butter so it won’t hold together, and it doesn’t necessarily need to be chilled. What a life saver that can be! I took a look at Angelia’s recipe, and although the flavor was perfect it just wouldn’t work. I opted for Dorie Greenspan’s version of Sweet Tart Dough.
- 1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
- 1/2 C confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 t salt
- 1 stick plus 1 T very cold, unsalted butter
- 1 large egg yolk
Put flour, sugar and salt in a food processor, blend quickly to mix dry ingredients.
Cut the butter.
Make your cuts into somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 inch squares.
Add butter to food processor.
Mix until it begins sticking together.
Break up yolk, and slowly add into mixture while pulsing. Pulse for 10 second intervals until dough begins to come together.
Bring dough onto your counter and knead just enough to add in the dry bits that didn’t make it.
Hand press into your tart shell.
Backtracking just a bit, I wanted to remove the tart from the pan before slicing for two reasons. One, I’m making another directly after so I need the pan for the second go round, and two, I detest scratches on my teflon pans.
I took the bottom piece of the tart pan and cut out parchment paper to fit atop it. When I removed the tart it was easy and clean.
Once this was done I started on my compote. Here in Arizona it’s a little warm still, so i refrigerated my crust until the apples were ready to go.
The recipe for the filling I found was from Jus-Rol, a pastry company. It’s good.
- approx. 3½lbs Golden Delicious or other crisp, green apples.
- 6oz unsalted butter
- 4fl .oz. water
- 4oz granulated sugar
- Juice and rind of 1 lemon
- Icing sugar
1. Peel, core and chop half the apples, in a large pan melt half the butter over a medium heat, add apples and lemon rind and stir well to coat with butter, reduce heat slightly and cook apples for 10-15 mins. stirring frequently.
My own personal addition was a little apple schnopps. This just isn’t apple season, and although my Granny Smiths were tart, they were lacking some of the flavor I was looking for. This makes it up.
2. Add the water and cook for further 10 minutes, then stir in sugar and cook until apples very soft – approx. 10 mins. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Meanwhile preheat oven to 400ºF
Notice how the apples above are starting to break down, where the apples below are almost done.
You can see and feel the difference.
3. Roll out pastry and use to line a 25.5cm/10” shallow tart tin, put to chill. Peel core and thinly slice remaining apples, toss in a little lemon juice.
4. Spread apple purée in base of flan case, top with apple slices arranged in concentric circles, each slice slightly overlapping the one before until all compote is covered. Dot with remaining butter and sift 2-3 tbsp. icing sugar evenly over apples, bake for 25 -30mins. Sift again with icing sugar and return to oven for few minutes to glaze.
VOILA!!! It’s perfect!
We are looking for some crisp color on the tips of the apples, so if yours doesn’t have it then you can broil it when it’s done for a few minutes. For the glazed look you can add an apple jelly with water glaze, according to Dorie. I didn’t have any apple jelly, so I used apple butter with water. It had a little nutmeg and cinnamon in it, so it ended up adding a touch more flavor, but it’s all good.
Give it a try. I’d love to hear how yours turns out.
-tina
tina's kitchen 
