French Apple Tart

Directions

• Sieve the flour into a bowl add the cold butter, using your fingers and thumbs rub the butter into the flour until you have a mixture that resembles breadcrumbs.
• Make a well in the middle and add the egg and 1 tablespoon of very cold water.
• Using your cold hand in a claw shape mix the ingredients in a turning motion until it comes together into a ball of dough.
• Turn the pastry out onto a lightly floured worktop and gently knead it into a disc shape, wrap it in clingfilm and place in the fridge for 20 minutes.
• Set the oven to 180ºC.
• Once the pastry has rested, roll it outto about ⅛” thick, turning it 45° on each roll to form as round a piece as possible, lift the pastry onto your rolling pin and drape over the flan tin.
• Gently ease the pastry into the flan tin by lifting and placing, do not attempt to stretch the pastry to fit. Leave a little overlapping the rim of the flan tin.
• Take a piece of baking parchment paper a little larger than the size of the flan tin and screw it up into a ball, then unfold and place into the pastry case and fill the bottom with ceramic baking beans or something similar that will weigh down the pastry to stop it rising as it bakes. Rice is a good substitute,
• Bake for around 15-20 minutes or until the pastry starts to turn brown, take out of the oven and remove the beans and paper and return to the oven for another 7/8 minutes for the pastry to dry out.
• Once the pastry is cooked, run a sharp knife around the rim to trim off any excess pastry leaving a nice smooth rim
• To Make the Apple Puree
• Core and peel the apples and chop into small chunks.
• Melt the butter in a large pan, and add the water and apples.
• Cover the pan and cook the apples slowly for about 15 minutes or until they become very soft
• Pass the cooked apples through a sieve into a clean saucepan.
• Add the apricot jam, sugar and lemon zest and cook, stirring, for about 10-15 minutes until the excess liquid has evaporated. Set aside to cool.
• Bringing the tart together
• Peel, quarter and core the eating apples and thinly slice.
• Fill the pastry case with a layer of the cold apple purée and arrange the sliced apple on the top starting from the outside and working round in circles until the whole flan is completely covered,
• Brush the apples with lemon juice and sprinkle over the caster sugar.
• Place on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for around 25-30 minutes, until the edges of the apples are lightly browned.
• For the Glaze
• Place a few tablespoons of apricot jam into a saucepan add a tablespoon of water and heat until the jam has turned to liquid,
• Remove the flan from the oven and whilst still hot brush the apricot glaze over the top and leave to cool.
• Delicious warm or cold, on its own or with cream, ice cream, or Creme Anglaise.