This is, with some adaptations and tweaks, a recipe from Raymond Blanc, the French-British chef. It’s his take on the simple apple tart his mother used to make. In honor of that culinary tradition, I’ve given this a name in honor of the region where he grew up.
I like to use a tart ring here, but this would also work in a more traditional fluted tart pan.
Ingredients
For the glaze
- 15 g unsalted butter
- 10 g lemon juice
- 15 g granulated sugar
- 10 g calvados
For the tart
- 350 g pâte brisée
- 3-4 apples, cored, cut into 10 segments each
For the filling
- 50 g eggs
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 100 g heavy cream
Method
Prepare a baking tray with a Silpat or parchment, and center a 24 cm (9.5") tart ring on the tray.
Roll out the pastry dough to approximately a 2 mm thickness, large enough for the tart ring. Drape the pastry dough over the ring, pushing the dough into the corners. Run a rolling pin over the rim of the tart ring to remove the excess dough. Using a fork, gently prick the base of the dough.
Chill the prepared dough for 20-30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Preheat an oven to 220 °C (425 °F) with fan (convection) if available.
Prepare the glaze: combine the butter, lemon juice, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat the mixture and whisk until the butter has melted and the mixture is homogeneous. Then whisk in the alcohol.
Arrange the apple slices in the chilled tart base. Brush the apples with the prepared glaze.
Transfer the tart to the preheated oven. Bake the tart for 10 minutes.
Then, lower the oven to 200 °C (400 °F) with fan (convection) if available. Bake the tart for a further 20 minutes.
Prepare the filling by whisking the egg together with the sugar and cream.
Pour the filling into the tart shell. Bake the tart until the custard is set and just beginning to brown at the edges, about 10 more minutes.
Remove the baked tart from the oven and allow it to cool for 1 hour prior to serving.