Tuesday, January 22, 2013

TWD: French Apple Tart


This week's Tuesdays with Dorie featured a recipe that I had very much been looking forward to making.  A dessert tart, especially an apple flavored one, seems like such a classic staple French dessert and so very Julia Child-esque that I could not think of a more appropriate recipe to make in honor of the late culinary legend.  Paul was especially excited for this particular recipe because apple pie is one of his favorite indulgences and he was literally hovering over me as I worked away, eating pieces of raw dough and slices of apple. I may or may not have banished him from the kitchen by threatening that he would not get to sample a single slice if he did not leave me alone.


Although this recipe consisted of multiple components - the tart dough, the apple filling, and the apple topping - none of it was very difficult to throw together individually and the recipe could definitely be spread out over a 2-3 day period in order to simplify things. The filling tasted heavenly on its own and the unbaked tart looked so pretty that I had to snap a few shots of it before placing it in the oven for the final bake.


I did not quite achieve the blackened edges of apple that Dorie spoke so highly of on the final tart, but I still think this was one of the pretties desserts I have ever made. The taste was even better. Beautifully simple, this is the type of homey dessert that just about everyone will enjoy. I liked it with a bit of ice cream on the side, but Paul preferred to inhale half the tart unadorned while standing at the kitchen counter with a fork. He was very cross when I took the uneaten half of the tart away from his sticky fingers, wrapped it tightly in saran wrap, and firmly instructed him to share with his friends at work. Paul later claimed that he set the tart down in the break room at 7:30 a.m and by the time he returned for a cup of coffee at 8:05 a.m. the entire thing was gone. The tart was enjoyed by all!

I had these two little spies watching me the entire time I was trying to photograph this dessert. I think the cat even wanted a piece...


This will definitely be a dessert I make again - so elegant, pretty, and relatively simple. If you would like to give this recipe a go, our host Gaye has the recipe up on her blog.

17 comments:

  1. Your tart is absolutely beautiful!

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  2. Your tart is beautiful! I also spread out the tasks over a couple of days which helped to simplify the process.

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  3. Fabulous looking tart!! Well done! I was suprised at how easy it was to make as well. I was actually dreading it too since it looked so fancy!
    I didn't get the dark edges on my apples either and I even turned the heat up on the oven! But I too was very pleased with the outcome. I still have the extra dough and am wondering if I should make it again!

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  4. Looks beautiful! You arranged the apples so perfectly. :)

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  5. You are absolutely right that the filling tasted great on its own. It is a great way to make applesauce; I can't believe it had never occurred to me to try that before! Looks like a great tart -- you got some nicely browned edges on the apples, too!

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  6. Oh, what a beautiful tart! You got a little bit of the blackening going - more than I got! It is a very striking effect.

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  7. I think the black/brown thing comes from the caramelization of sugars, but maybe it's also the butter element. When I made a similar tart from Ina Garten (Which, by the way, was a much simpler recipe), I topped the apples with a glaze of apricot jam and it browned up beautifully. I think, when I bake my BWJ version tonight, I will use more than the teaspoon or two of sugar on top, and I'll be extra generous with the butter just in case. Yours is still lovely though. Thanks for posting!

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  8. Your tart looks so beautiful!!!! Like a chef, it's a great job!!!

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  9. Oh, how cute! They look like they are patiently waiting for a piece! :) Your tart is beautiful! I really like the filling in this one.

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  10. The tart looks very pretty against that blue & yellow cloth.
    Beautiful tart - I can understand why you had so many interested in it :-)

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  11. I loved the picture of your "audience". My tart was a big success too.

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  12. You did get a bit of blackening - definitely more than I did. :) Well done on a delicious pie!

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  13. Beautiful tart! Glad you enjoyed it. My hubby gets very jealous of this tart as well. He has a hard time sharing it!

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  14. Looks beautiful! We loved ours too - I especially liked the flavor that roasting the filling gave it.

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  15. Your tart is just beautiful. Mine was gone in seconds when I took it to work too.

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  16. Beautiful! and gave me some ideas for photographing my future baking endeavors...

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  17. Your tart looks lovely. LOL at everyone eyeing it up for a piece.

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