Easy French Apple Tart – Tarte Fine aux Pommes Recipe
This Easy French Apple Tart, or Tarte Fine aux Pommes, is a classic and elegant dessert featuring thinly sliced Gala apples layered over a crisp butter puff pastry base. The tart is brushed with melted butter, sprinkled with caster sugar, and baked to golden perfection, creating a delightful balance of sweet, buttery, and fruity flavors. It’s best served warm with a dusting of powdered sugar and a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a truly indulgent experience.
- Prep Time: 12 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 42 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
Pastry
- 1 square sheet butter puff pastry (25cm / 10″ square), barely thawed
Fruit & Toppings
- 5 tsp caster sugar (superfine sugar, or granulated as substitute)
- 2 large Gala apples (or 3 medium), peeled, halved, cored, sliced 0.5cm / 0.2″ thick
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- Icing sugar / powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving (not optional!)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and hot tray: Place a baking tray in the oven and preheat oven to 210°C/375°F (190°C fan-forced) so the tray becomes very hot for baking the tart.
- Prepare the sugar bed: Lay a sheet of parchment paper on the countertop and sprinkle 3 teaspoons of caster sugar roughly in the shape of the puff pastry sheet.
- Arrange the puff pastry: Place the thawed butter puff pastry square on top of the sugared parchment paper. Fold the edges inward to create a 1cm (0.4 inch) border around the edge of the pastry to contain the apples and toppings.
- Layer the apples: Arrange the thinly sliced apple halves in three overlapping rows on the puff pastry within the folded edges.
- Add butter and sugar: Brush the melted unsalted butter evenly over the arranged apple slices and the folded edges of the pastry. Then sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoons of caster sugar over the apples and borders for caramelization during baking.
- Bake the tart: Transfer the prepared tart (still on the parchment paper) onto the hot baking tray in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes or until the edges of the puff pastry turn golden brown and the apples are tender.
- Serve: Remove the tart from the oven, cut into 6 portions, optionally dust with icing sugar, and serve warm accompanied by generous scoops of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- Make sure the puff pastry is barely thawed to prevent it from becoming too soft to handle.
- Gala apples work well in this tart due to their sweetness and firmness, but you can substitute with other sweet, crisp apples like Honeycrisp or Fuji.
- Using a hot baking tray ensures the pastry base starts cooking immediately for a crispier bottom.
- Dusting with icing sugar is optional but adds a nice touch of sweetness and visual appeal.
- Vanilla ice cream enhances the tart’s flavors and adds a creamy contrast to the crisp pastry and baked apples.