How to Make French Apple Tart Recipe With Pastry Cream (2024)

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By

Christine Benlafquih

How to Make French Apple Tart Recipe With Pastry Cream (1)

Christine Benlafquih

Christine Benlafquih is a freelance writer and cooking class instructor with a background in Moroccan cuisine.

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Updated on 01/6/23

Tested by

Kayla Hoang

How to Make French Apple Tart Recipe With Pastry Cream (2)

Tested byKayla Hoang

Kayla Hoang is a freelance recipe developer, writer, and baker whose Bangladeshi and Vietnamese roots influence all she does. Her life revolves around food and she can almost always be found waiting by the oven for a fresh batch of cookies.

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A variety of French fruit tarts are popular in Morocco but given a choice, I'll always choose Tarte aux Pommes over other offerings. Thinly sliced apples are tossed with sugar and a little bit of cinnamon, and then attractively layered in a sweet pastry shell lined with pastry cream (creme patisserie). Baking caramelizes the apples, while an apricot glaze adds sheen and a bit of tartness to the finished dessert.

Although the flavors are similar, this is not as quick to throw together as American-style apple pie. Not only will you need to give a little more care to how you slice and arrange the apples, but you'll need to plan ahead to make both the pastry cream and pastry dough well in advance of assembling the tart.

The Best Apple Varieties for Baking and Eating

"While it requires a bit of time and planning, this tart is as delicious as it is beautiful. The pastry cream is easy to make and not overly sweet, the crust bakes up nice and crisp, and the apples cook down perfectly." —Kayla Hoang

How to Make French Apple Tart Recipe With Pastry Cream (5)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Pastry Dough:

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 2 tablespoons sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 cupunsalted butter, cold,cut into bits

  • 1 large egg yolk

  • Ice-cold water

For the Pastry Cream:

  • 3 large egg yolks

  • 3 to 4 tablespoons sugar

  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

  • 1 cup whole milk

  • 1vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1 teaspoonvanilla extract

For the Apple Layer:

  • 3 large or 4 small apples, preferably firm and tart

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

For the Glaze:

  • 1/4 cup apricot jam

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice or water

Steps to Make It

Make the Pastry Dough

  1. Gather the ingredients.

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  2. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.

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  3. Add the cold butter and work it into the flour mixture with your fingers or a pastry cutter until the butter is in pea-sized pieces.

  4. Work in the egg yolk until the mixture looks like a fine meal.

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  5. Then use a fork to stir in ice water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough can be gathered together and pressed into a ball.

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  6. Shape and flatten the dough into a smooth disc shape, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

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Make the Pastry Cream

  1. Gather the ingredients.

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  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar.

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  3. Whisk in the flour and cornstarch until smooth; set aside.

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  4. In a saucepan, heat the milk with vanilla bean almost to boiling. If using vanilla extract, add it later in step 6.

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  5. Remove the vanilla bean, then slowly and gradually whisk the milk into the egg mixture.

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  6. Strain the mixture back into the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking or stirring constantly, until thickened. Continue cooking for another half minute while stirring, then remove from the heat. Whisk in the vanilla extract, if using.

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  7. Lay a piece of plastic film on the surface of the pastry cream. Cool down the pastry cream by either chilling it in the fridge or over an ice bath, stirring from time to time.

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Assemble and Bake the Tart

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 F/200 C.

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  2. Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples.

    How to Make French Apple Tart Recipe With Pastry Cream (20)

  3. Place the slices in a bowl and toss gently with the sugar and cinnamon.

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  4. If the apples start to brown, you can toss in a tablespoon of lemon juice.

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  5. Roll out the pastry into a circle about 1/8-inch thick and fit into a 9-inchtart pan, trimming the excess dough.

    How to Make French Apple Tart Recipe With Pastry Cream (23)

  6. Give the chilled pastry cream a good whisk to loosen and smooth it out. Spread the pastry cream across the bottom of the pastry shell.

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  7. Arrange the apple slices in a pattern over the pastry cream and dot the apples with tiny bits of butter.

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  8. Wrap strips of aluminum foil around the edges of the tart pan to protect the crust from burning.

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  9. Bake the tart in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes.

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  10. Remove the foil, and continue baking for another 10 minutes, or until the apples and crust are nicely colored.

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  11. Remove the tart to a rack to cool.

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  12. While the tart is still warm, heat the apricot jam with the lemon juice until boiling.

    How to Make French Apple Tart Recipe With Pastry Cream (30)

  13. Strain the mixture.

    How to Make French Apple Tart Recipe With Pastry Cream (31)

  14. Then use a pastry brush to apply the apricot glaze over the apples.

    How to Make French Apple Tart Recipe With Pastry Cream (32)

  15. Refrigerate the tart when it has cooled completely.

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  16. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

    How to Make French Apple Tart Recipe With Pastry Cream (34)

Tips

  • For greater ease transferring the tart into and out of the oven, build the tart in the tart pan set on a rimmed baking sheet. Baking the tart on a baking sheet will not change the cook time.
  • The sugar quantity in the pastry recipe below is for a less sweet shortcrust; if you'd prefer a sweeter pastry dough, follow the pate sucree recipe instead.

Recipe Variation

  • Alternate versions of this recipe include theFrench strawberry tartand ​the​​French peach tart.

French Dessert Recipes

  • French Desserts
  • Dessert Tarts
  • Moroccan Desserts
  • Fruit Recipes
  • Apple Recipes
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
432Calories
18g Fat
63g Carbs
8g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories432
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g23%
Saturated Fat 10g49%
Cholesterol 176mg59%
Sodium 191mg8%
Total Carbohydrate 63g23%
Dietary Fiber 3g11%
Total Sugars 37g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 5mg27%
Calcium 71mg5%
Iron 2mg10%
Potassium 218mg5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

  • apple
  • dessert
  • french
  • fall

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How to Make French Apple Tart Recipe With Pastry Cream (2024)

FAQs

What are the best apples for apple tarts? ›

We're partial to Granny Smith, Honeycrip, and Gala, but you can really use any baking apple that you prefer in this recipe! Use one variety, or a couple to really mix it up and keep things interesting.

How do you serve Trader Joe's French apple tart? ›

She makes it her own by warming it up in the oven before serving and adding a little dollop of vanilla ice cream on top, with a swirl of caramel sauce she “warmed up from a jar” for good measure.

Can I freeze an apple tart? ›

This fall, I gave the method a go with this French apple tart. For this recipe, simply follow the process through step 5, stopping after you add the cubed butter. Transfer the tart to an airtight bag; then transfer to the freezer for up to 3 months.

What is a French puff pastry tart called? ›

In France, Galette des Rois is traditionally baked for the Epiphany (the day the three kings visited the baby Jesus).

What is the difference between apple pie and French apple pie? ›

The French make a tarte tatin which is basically an upside down apple pie made in a skillet with one crust on the bottom. American apple pie has a top and bottom crust and is made in a pie pan. You can find recipes for both all over the Internet.

What is the crispiest tart apple? ›

What Are The Crunchiest Apples?
  • Crisp Apples Ranked: Crunchiest to Least Crunchy.
  • SweeTango. ...
  • Honeycrisp. ...
  • Cosmic Crisp® ...
  • Pink Lady® ...
  • Rave® ...
  • Pinata® ...
  • Granny Smith.

Which apple is the most tart? ›

Which varieties are considered tart apples? The apple with the tartest flavor on the Apple Sweetness Scale is the Granny Smith apple. You can spot them by looking for their bright green skin! Other tart apples include: Pink Lady®, Braeburn, McIntosh, Jonathan, Empire, and Cortland apples.

What makes an apple taste tart? ›

The organic compound malate has a large impact on the taste of many of our most popular fruits, for example grapes (Vitis vinifera), tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum), and in particular apples (Malus domestica). The amount of malate in apples determines how tart (sour) or how sweet we perceive their taste.

What are the best tart apples to bake with? ›

Granny Smith (Tart)

Granny Smiths are typically my go-to apple for baking, so I'll always have them on hand during the fall months.

Does an apple tart need to be refrigerated? ›

Well, it depends — a regular apple pie that just contains sugar will last up to two days at room temperature, but an apple pie that is made with custard or cream or has egg in the filling needs to be refrigerated in order to prevent foodborne illness.

Should apple tart be refrigerated? ›

Ideally, apple pie (or any fruit pie) should be stored in the refrigerator, either with a lid or covered tightly with plastic wrap. It will last up to 4 days in the refrigerator, but always be sure to check in on your leftovers to make sure they still look and smell good before diving in.

How long does homemade apple tart last in the fridge? ›

Cover and chill for at least 30 mins. Will keep chilled for two days.

How much is the apple tart at Trader Joe's? ›

Ina Garten swears by 'delicious' Trader Joe's $7.99 apple tart for entertaining. Store-bought *really is* fine, according to the Barefoot Contessa. Real legends practice what they preach, so when a culinary icon says “store-bought is fine,” she really means it.

How long does apple tart last in the fridge? ›

Keep any leftovers covered with clingfim in the fridge for two to three days and reheat in the microwave as needed.

What are the facts about French tarts? ›

Tarts have a long history, and their origins can be traced back to ancient Rome. The word “tart” is thought to derive from the Old French word tarte, which itself is derived from the Latin word torta, meaning “twisted bread”. Tarts were initially made with a variety of fillings, including meats, fish, and vegetables.

What is the French drink made of apples? ›

Calvados is an apple brandy with Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) status. It can only be produced in Normandy, much like Cognac is a specific brandy that can only be distilled from white wine made within a particular region from certain grapes.

What is a tart in French? ›

Translation of tarte – French–English dictionary

a mushroom/raspberry flan. pie [noun] food baked in a covering of pastry. a steak/apple pie. tart [noun] a pie containing eg fruit or jam.

What is the difference between French apple and apple crumb? ›

Most dutch apple pies have a crumb topping, while a French apple pie is usually topped with a pastry dough.

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