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Normandy apple tart

This classic French apple tart is a hit for either an elegant dinner or a family meal.

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Normandy apple tart

t This classic French apple tart combines the subtle taste of almonds with golden, caramelized apple, and can be enjoyed warm or cold.

Ingredients:

t Pastry:

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  • 7 ounces plain flour
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  • 4 ounces butter or shortening (1 stick)
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  • 1 egg yolk
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  • 2-3 tablespoons cold water

t Filling:

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  • 4 ounces butter (1 stick)
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  • 4 ounces sugar
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  • 4 ounces ground almonds
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  • 2 tablespoons plain flour
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  • 1 egg yolk
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  • 1 beaten egg
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  • 2 teaspoons brandy or kirsch (optional)

t To finish:

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  • Confectioner’s sugar
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  • Creme fraiche or vanilla ice cream

Directions:

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  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and lightly grease a 9-inch flan or tart tin.
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  3. To make the pastry, put the flour and butter in a large bowl and rub together until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. This can be done in a food processor.
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  5. Add the egg yolk and enough of the cold water to make a firm pastry.
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  7. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a disk that is about 2 inches bigger than your flan tin.
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  9. Line the flan tin with the pastry, pressing firmly into the corners. Trim the edges.
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  11. For the filling, put the butter and flour in a medium bowl and beat together until it is pale and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
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  13. Gradually add the beaten egg and egg yolk, combining well. If it looks like it is not coming together, add a little of the ground almond.
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  15. Beat in the brandy or kirsch and mix in the ground almonds and flour to make a stiff paste.
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  17. Spread the almond paste into the bottom of the pastry, smoothing it out on the top.
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  19. Peel, core and quarter the apples and slice them thinly keeping each quarter together. Fan each quarter so that it looks like a petal and press down firmly in the almond mixture. Repeat to make 5 apple “petals”. For the center, either do the same again with another quarter or make concentric rings with the slices to make a rose shape or flower center.
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  21. Bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven to 350 degrees F and bake until the almond mix is firm and the apple slices are golden brown.
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  23. Cool on a wire rack.
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  25. When the tart is cold, dust with confectioner’s sugar and serve with creme fraiche or vanilla ice cream.

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