Description
This Easy French Apple Tart, or Tarte Fine aux Pommes, is a simple yet elegant dessert featuring thinly sliced gala apples arranged over a crisp puff pastry base. Lightly sweetened with caster sugar and glazed with melted butter, it bakes to a delightful golden finish. Perfectly paired with vanilla ice cream, this classic French tart offers a crisp, buttery texture balanced with tender, flavorful apples for a stunning finish that’s surprisingly easy to make.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry Base
- 1 square sheet butter puff pastry (25cm / 10" square), barely thawed
- 3 tsp caster sugar (superfine sugar; regular/granulated can be substituted)
Apple Topping
- 5 tsp caster sugar
- 2 large gala apples (or 3 medium), peeled, halved, cores removed, sliced 0.5cm / 0.2" thick
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Finishing
- Icing sugar / powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving (highly recommended)
Instructions
- Prepare the base: Preheat your oven to 210°C (375°F) or 190°C fan. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and sprinkle 3 teaspoons of caster sugar evenly on the paper. Place the thawed puff pastry sheet on top of the sugar. Fold in the edges of the puff pastry by about 1cm (0.4 inches) to create a neat border around the tart base.
- Arrange the apples: Slice peeled gala apples into thin, 0.5cm (0.2 inch) thick slices. Evenly layer the apple slices on the puff pastry, slightly overlapping them to create an attractive pattern.
- Add butter and sugar: Brush the melted unsalted butter generously over the arranged apples. Sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoons of caster sugar over the buttery apple layer to help caramelize during baking.
- Bake the tart: Transfer the baking tray to the preheated oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden and crisp, and the apples are tender and lightly caramelized.
- Finish and serve: Once baked, optionally dust the tart lightly with icing sugar for a delicate powdered finish. Serve warm or at room temperature accompanied by vanilla ice cream for a truly authentic French dessert experience.
Notes
- This recipe comes from a French chef, and it’s surprisingly simple and quick to prepare.
- The sugar sprinkled beneath the pastry helps create an extra crisp base.
- Feel free to use your favourite type of apples, though gala apples provide a great balance of sweetness and texture.
- Vanilla ice cream is highly recommended as a complementary serving to enhance the tart’s flavors.
- The recipe video above illustrates the process for visual guidance.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 340 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 113 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 8 mg
