French Apple Tart

This French Apple Tart is critical for the Johns family Thanksgiving! It's my great grandmother's recipe; she was one hysterically funny French lady. The tart is a light replacement for the traditional apple pie. It's also very simple to make with store-bought puff-pastry dough, and looks beautiful on the Thanksgiving table.

Zoe Johns

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 puff pastry dough
  • 4 large Granny Smith apples
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 4 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced small
  • and kept cold
  • ½ cup warm sieved apricot jam
  • ½ lemon

Preparation

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Roll the pastry 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 stems and cores with a sharp knife. Slice the apples crosswise in ¼ -inch thick slices.
  • Place overlapping slices of apples diagonally down the middle of the tart and continue making diagonal rows on both sides of the first row until the pastry is covered with apple slices.
  • Sprinkle with ¼ cup of sugar and dot with 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. The apple juices will burn in the pan.
  • When the tart's done, heat the · apricot jam. Brush apples and pastry completely with the jam, then squeeze the lemon on top.
  • 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.