Spiced apple frangipane tart
This tart is the perfect Christmas dessert, with sweet frangipane, soft apple slices, and a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth crust. Recipe and image courtesy of Maldon Salt, maldonsalt.com
Prep: 35 mins
Cook: 1 hr
Total: 1 hr 35 mins
Serves: 8
Ingredients
- 160g Plain flour
- 50g Icing sugar
- 120g Unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 2 Eggs, plus 2 yolks
- 1 tbsp Cold water (more if needed)
- 130g Unsalted butter, room temp
- 150g Caster sugar
- Pinch of Smoked Maldon sea salt
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp Ground nutmeg
- 150g Ground almonds
- 45g Plain flour
- 2 Large apples (cored, thinly sliced with skin-on)
- Icing sugar (to serve)
Method
Step 1
Start with the pastry. In a food processor, add the flour and icing sugar. Add the cold, cubed butter and pulse until you have breadcrumbs. Add one of the extra egg yolks and cold water. Pulse again until the pastry starts to come together. If it looks a little dry, add a splash more water.
Step 2
Bring the pastry together with your hands and tip out of the food processor. Knead very gently and wrap in cling film in a flat disc shape. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Step 3
Remove the pastry from the fridge and roll out on a lightly floured surface. Roll a large circle to the thickness of a pound coin and use your rolling pin to drape it over a 23cm (9in) fluted tart tin. Gently press into the tin, leaving an overhang at the top. Prick the base with a fork, then chill for another 30 minutes.
Step 4
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/ 350°F/gas mark 4. Scrunch up some baking paper and line the pastry with this and some baking beans. Blind bake for 15 minutes, then remove the beans and paper and bake for another 5 minutes until lightly golden. Remove and allow to cool slightly.
Step 5
For the frangipane, whisk the room temperature butter, sugar and salt in a large bowl for 2-3 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, remaining egg yolk, and vanilla and whisk again. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, ground almonds and flour and whisk until combined.
Step 6
Trim off the excess pastry from the base with a serrated knife. Spoon the frangipane filling into the pastry case and smooth out with a palette knife. Arrange the apple slices on the top and lightly press into the filling. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool before dusting with icing sugar and serving.
