For the Pastry
2 cups
all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter,
diced
1/2 cup ice water
For the Apples
4 Granny
Smith apples
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter,
small-diced
1/2 cup apricot
jelly or warm sieved apricot jam
2 tablespoons Calvados, rum, or water
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For
the
pastry, place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food
processor fitted with the steel
blade. Pulse for a few
seconds to combine. Add the butter and pulse 10 to 12 times, until the
butter is in small bits the size of peas. With the motor running, pour
the ice water down the feed tube and pulse just until the dough starts
to come together.
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Dump onto a floured
board and knead quickly into a ball.
Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. |
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment
paper.
Roll the dough slightly larger than 10 x 14 inches. Using a ruler and a
small knife, trim the edges. Place the dough on the prepared sheet pan
and refrigerate while you prepare the apples.
Peel the apples and cut them in half through the stem. Remove the stems
and cores with a sharp knife and a melon
baller. Slice the apples
crosswise in 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Place overlapping slices of apples diagonally down the middle of the
tart and
Note:
For a really fast apple tart, you can use one sheet of frozen
puff
pastry, defrosted. Roll out to 10 1/2 x 10 1/2 inches and then
proceed
with the apples continue making diagonal rows on both sides of the
first row until the pastry is covered with apple slices. (I tend not to
use the apple ends in order to make the arrangement beautiful.)
Sprinkle with the full 1/2 cup sugar and dot with the butter.
Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the pastry is browned and the
edges of the apples start to brown. Rotate the pan once during cooking.
If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to
let the air out. Don’t worry! The apple juices will burn in
the pan but the tart will be fine! When the tart’s done, heat
the apricot jelly together with the Calvados and brush the apples and
the pastry completely with the jelly mixture.
Loosen the tart with a metal
spatula so it doesn’t
stick to the paper. Allow to
cool and serve warm or at room temperature.
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