Description
This Easy French Apple Tart, or Tarte Fine aux Pommes, is a beautifully simple and elegant dessert featuring buttery puff pastry topped with thinly sliced Gala apples. The tart is crisp and slightly sweetened with caster sugar, creating a perfect balance of textures and flavors. Served best with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this tart offers a delightful taste of classic French patisserie that’s surprisingly easy to make at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry Base
- 1 square sheet butter puff pastry (25cm / 10" square), barely thawed
- 3 tsp caster sugar (superfine sugar; can substitute regular/granulated sugar)
Apple Topping
- 5 tsp caster sugar (divided: 3 tsp for base, 2 tsp for topping)
- 2 large Gala apples (or 3 medium), peeled, halved, cored, sliced 0.5cm / 0.2" thick
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Finishing
- Icing sugar / powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving (highly recommended)
Instructions
- Prepare the baking surface: Sprinkle 3 teaspoons of caster sugar evenly over the baking paper to create a sweet, crisp base for the puff pastry.
- Arrange the puff pastry: Place the barely thawed puff pastry sheet onto the sugared baking paper. Fold in the edges about 1cm / 0.4″ to create a slight border that will hold the apple slices.
- Layer the apples: Arrange the thinly sliced Gala apples evenly over the puff pastry, distributing the slices carefully to cover the surface without overlapping excessively.
- Add butter and sugar topping: Brush the melted unsalted butter generously over the arranged apples, then sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoons of caster sugar on top. This will give the tart a beautiful caramelized finish when baked.
- Bake the tart: Place the tart on a tray preheated in the oven. Bake at 210°C / 375°F (190°C fan) for 30 minutes until the pastry is golden and crisp and the apples are tender and caramelized.
- Finish and serve: Once baked, optionally dust the tart with a light sprinkle of icing sugar for added sweetness and presentation. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the perfect finishing touch.
Notes
- The recipe video is available above to guide you through each step visually.
- This tart is deceptively simple yet authentically French, coming straight from a professional French chef, making it accessible to home bakers.
- Using caster sugar beneath the pastry enhances crispness and adds subtle sweetness to the base.
- Gala apples are recommended for their sweet flavor and texture, but any apple variety will work well.
- Vanilla ice cream is considered essential—don’t skip it as it perfectly complements the warm tart.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 340 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 113 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 8 mg
