Tarte Fine aux Pommes (Thin Apple Tart)

This recipe was originally published in the award-winning cookbook Anna Olson’s Baking Wisdom by Anna Olson (Appetite by Random House, 2023). You can purchase Baking Wisdom here

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb (225 g) puff pastry dough or store-bought all-butter puff pastry
• 1 large or 2 small baking apples, such as Honeycrisp, Granny Smith or Cortland
• 3 Tbsp (45 g) butter, melted, divided
• 3 Tbsp (37 g) granulated sugar, divided
• ¼ cup (60 mL) apple jelly or apricot jam

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to a circle about 9 inches (23 cm) across and just under ¼ inch (6 mm) thick. Use a plate or bowl to trace and cut a disc of pastry 8 inches (20 cm) across. Place on the baking tray and dock the pastry with a fork.
3. Assemble the tart. Peel the apples, cut in half and core. Cut the apples into slices about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Arrange the apples over the puff pastry, overlapping them in a single layer that reaches almost to the outside edge of the pastry. Brush the apples with half of the butter and sprinkle with half of the sugar. If you have a mandolin, use it to get thin, even slices. Thick slices weigh down the puff pastry and will result in a heavy, dense crust instead of light, crisp pastry.
4. Bake the tart for 10 minutes, brush it with the remaining butter and sugar, and return to the oven to bake for 20 to 25 minutes more, until the puff pastry is golden brown at the edges. The butter and sugar may caramelize a little, adding a nice crunch once cooled.
5. Cool and glaze the tart. Let the tart cool on its tray on a rack for 15 minutes. Melt the apple jelly (or apricot jam) in the microwave or in a small saucepan over medium heat and use a pastry brush to apply a thin layer to the apples. Serve warm or at room temperature.
6. The tart will keep, loosely covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days.