This French Apple Tart is also known by it’s fancy sounding name as Apple Galette. It’s one of those things that look complicated but is actually easy enough to do. So if you are a budding baker or you are a seasoned but lazy baker like me, then this is the tart for you. Most of the time, pastry making is fiddly, but this is the simpler version.There’s no need for a specialty tart tin, no blind baking involved and if you’re in a hurry, a store bought pastry is a good substitute. It has the ”WOW’ factor, with minimal effort.

The tart has a flaky crust topped with a layer of caramelised apples and glazed with warmed up jam. One of the simplest of all tarts, just a crust topped with fruit – it’s nice and light and not too sweet. Perfect to serve warm, with a scoop of your best Vanilla Ice Cream, or at room temperature with just a dusting of Icing Sugar. Love apples, here’s another easy recipe to try Apple and Cinnamon Crunch Cake.

There are two main components to this rustic tart- one is the rough flaky pastry, which you can easily do in a food processor , in a mixer or by hand. I prefer doing this using a mixer because it is quicker.If you’re pressed for time, use store bought puff pastry, it works just as well. The second component of Apple Galette, is the apples of course. Use any apple variety that keeps it’ s shape during cooking, like Braeburn, Jonathon or the my favourite, the tart and crispy Granny Smith Apples.

Flaky Pastry plus Caramelised Apples. Brushed with Jam to give it a sheen.

What you need to make French Apple Tart

Pantry/Fridge Staples- Plain Flour, Corn Flour,Sugar & Salt, Butter, Jam
Granny Smith Apples- Peeled, Cored and thinly sliced.
A sheet pan and some Baking Paper

Easy does it…

Make the pastry by combining the flours salt sugar and butter in a mixing bowl and mix on medium until it forms pea like pellets. Add cold water and mix until it forms a crumbly dough.
To make the dough using a food processor, pulse flour sugar and salt until combined. Add butter then pulse until it resembles peas. Add cold water and process until it forms a crumbly dough.
Tip the dough crumbs into a floured work surface and gather into a rectangle, using the palm of your hand to smear the butter into dough, until the dough comes together. This will take about 5 minutes. Fold the dough into itself to make a square and wrap in plastic warp. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
Take the pastry dough from the fridge and let it sit in the counter for about 10 minutes for it to soften a little so it’s easier to roll.
Cut a sheet of baking paper about 38x25cm (10 x 16 inches). Place the dough unto the baking paper and roll it out roughly the size of the baking paper. Trim the edges for a neat finish. Roll the edges of the pastry (approximately 2 cm) all around to create a border.
Peel and core the apples. Slice the apple in half, then slice across thinly about 1 cm thick. Set aside.

Starting from one corner of the pastry, lay the apple slices in neat diagonal rows and slightly overlapping each other until the whole pastry is covered by the apple slices.
Sprinkle the top evenly with sugar and dot with butter pieces, then bake for about 45-60 minutes (turn baking pan halfway after 30 minutes) or until the apples are caramelised and the pastry is deep golden brown.
Brush the tart with warmed up jam once it comes out of the oven.

Serving Options and Substitutions

In place of apples, use any stone fruit in season, like apricots, nectarines or pear.
If pressed for time, you can use a store bought puff pastry for the base. A good one to try is Careme Butter Puff Pastry.
Use warmed up jam or jelly that complements the fruit you are using as a glaze. Another favourite glaze is warmed up Cookie Dough Butter(Lotus Brand) that adds a cinnamon twist which is just perfect with Apples.
Best eaten on the day it’s made but will keep for few days. Serve warm with your best Vanilla Ice Cream or room temperature with a dusting of Icing Sugar.

If you do make this, let me know how you went I would love to know how what you think. Drop me a line via the comments section below, I would love to hear from you.