Tarte normande
Normandy is the land of apples, butter and cream, and this tart unites all three. A shortcrust base, a fan of apple slices and a custard of cream, eggs and ground almonds with a splash of calvados, baked until golden. The apples stay juicy and slightly tart, the custard wraps them like a pudding, and the calvados adds an apple aroma. Unlike tarte tatin, nothing needs caramelising. The base is blind-baked first so it does not go soggy under the custard.
Your own work in that: 25 min.
- Shortcrust pastry 15 min
- Chilling the pastry 30 min
- Lining the tin 10 min
- Chilling in the tin 15 min
- Blind baking 17 min
- Baking the apples 15 min
- Baking with the custard 30 min
- Cooling 20 min
Step by step
0 / 8 doneMake the pastry
Cut the cold butter into the flour, sugar and salt to fine crumbs. Add the yolk and water and quickly gather into a ball — do not knead, or the pastry will be tough. Flatten into a disc, wrap in film and chill 30 minutes.
Ingredients: 200 g plain flour · 100 g cold butter · 1 tbsp sugar · 1 pinch salt · 1 pcs egg yolk · 3 tbsp cold water
Line the tin
Roll the pastry 3 mm thick and line a 26 cm tart tin, pressing it into the sides. Prick the base with a fork and refrigerate 15 minutes. Heat the oven to 200°C.
Ingredients: 200 g plain flour · 100 g cold butter · 1 tbsp sugar · 1 pinch salt · 1 pcs egg yolk · 3 tbsp cold water
Chilled in the tin — it shrinks less in the oven.Blind bake
Line the pastry with paper, fill with beans or baking beads and bake 12 minutes. Lift out the paper and weights and bake another 5 minutes (17 minutes in total), until the base no longer looks raw.
Ingredients: 200 g plain flour · 100 g cold butter · 1 tbsp sugar · 1 pinch salt · 1 pcs egg yolk · 3 tbsp cold water
Slice the apples
Meanwhile peel and core the apples and cut them into 5 mm slices.
Ingredients: 4 pcs tart apples, e.g. russet · 2 pcs eggs · 80 g sugar · 200 ml whipping cream (30%) · 30 g ground almonds · 2 tbsp calvados · 10 g icing sugar for dusting
Arrange the apples and bake
Lower the oven to 180°C. Arrange the apple slices on the base in overlapping circles and bake 15 minutes, until slightly softened.
Ingredients: 4 pcs tart apples, e.g. russet · 2 pcs eggs · 80 g sugar · 200 ml whipping cream (30%) · 30 g ground almonds · 2 tbsp calvados · 10 g icing sugar for dusting
Overlapping circles — every slice gets apple.Make the custard
Whisk the eggs with the sugar, add the cream, ground almonds and calvados and mix until smooth.
Ingredients: 4 pcs tart apples, e.g. russet · 2 pcs eggs · 80 g sugar · 200 ml whipping cream (30%) · 30 g ground almonds · 2 tbsp calvados · 10 g icing sugar for dusting
Pour in the custard and bake
Pour the custard over the apples and bake 25–30 minutes, until set, trembling only in the very centre and golden at the edges.
Ingredients: 4 pcs tart apples, e.g. russet · 2 pcs eggs · 80 g sugar · 200 ml whipping cream (30%) · 30 g ground almonds · 2 tbsp calvados · 10 g icing sugar for dusting
The custard sets — only the centre trembles.Cool and serve
Cool the tart in the tin 20 minutes. Dust with icing sugar and serve slightly warm, with a spoonful of crème fraîche or a glass of cider.
Ingredients: 4 pcs tart apples, e.g. russet · 2 pcs eggs · 80 g sugar · 200 ml whipping cream (30%) · 30 g ground almonds · 2 tbsp calvados · 10 g icing sugar for dusting
Before you start
Which apples
Tart, firm apples that hold their shape are best — russet, Boskoop, Granny Smith. Sweet, soft varieties taste bland and tend to collapse.
Without alcohol
Replace the calvados with 2 tablespoons of apple juice and a little vanilla. In the oven the alcohol largely, but not completely, evaporates.
Storage
The custard is made with eggs and cream, so once cool keep the tart in the fridge for up to 2 days. Before serving, warm it for about 10 minutes in an oven heated to 160°C.
