Tarte aux Pommes

We came home from Bordeaux and the first thing we wanted to try to replicate at home was an apple tart like the delicious tarte aux pommes we had at the Garre St. Jean train station. 

Ingredients
(makes 4 tarts)

for the puff pastry 
250g strong white flour
225g butter, cold 
150ml water
1 tsp caster sugar

for the apples
4 apples, eating variety
2 lemons, juiced
4 tbsp granulated sugar
50g butter
100g apricot jam

Method

Mix together the flour and sugar in a food processor gradually pouring in the water. Once the dough forms, remove, wrap in clingfilm and chill for 20 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface roll out the the dough into a large circle.  (about 25cm)

Cut the butter into several thick slices then place between two pieces of parchment and bash with a rolling pin to flatten into a thin single piece of butter. 

Put the butter in the centre of the pastry and fold over the right and left sides, overlapping in the middle. With a rolling pin press the dough down.  Visualise the dough into three parts and fold the bottom third up, then bring the top third down. 

Seal the dough gently by pressing down on the edges with your rolling pin, keeping its rectangle shape. 

Roll the dough out to a long rectangle (roughly 20cm x 40cm), keeping the edges square and the sides straight. Mark the dough into thirds again, fold the bottom third up and the top third down. Seal the edges and give the dough a quarter turn. Repeat twice more cover and chill for one hour before using.

Alternatively if you want to skip all the faff of making your own puff pastry then use packet pastry.

Pre-heat the oven to 220C.

Roll the dough out to a thickness of around 3-5 mm. Then cut out a circular pieces of dough around 15cm diameter for large individual tarts.  Then place the dough circles onto parchment paper on a baking sheet. 

Peel, core, cut in half and thinly slice the apples. Place quickly in a bowl of lemon juice.
When done arrange the apple slices in as much of a fan as possible leaving at least 1cm of pastry uncovered around the rim.

Dot with the diced butter and pour over a heaped tablespoon of sugar.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Heat the jam in a pan and then gently brush over the apple for a nice glaze.