French Apple Tart

23cm/9” tart or flan dish, ceramic baking beans, pastry brush, pastry blender, parchment paper and mixing bowl

SWEET PASTRY
150g Doves Farm Organic Plain White Flour
75g butter
75g caster sugar
3 egg yolks
butter, for dish
flour, for dusting

APPLE FILLING
5 eating apples
25g caster sugar
4 tbsp apricot jam

190°C, Fan 170°C, 375°F, Gas  5  

Sweet Pastry

1. Rub some butter around the inside of a 23cm/9” tart or flan dish and pre-heat the oven.
2. Put the flour into a mixing bowl.
3. Chop the butter into small cubes and add them to the bowl.
4. Using a fork or pastry blender work them together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
5. Stir in the sugar.
6. Add the egg yolks and stir well.
7. Using your hands, gather the mix together to form a smooth ball of pastry dough.
8. Dust the work surface with flour, put the dough in the middle and sprinkle it with flour.
9. Roll out the pastry into a circle 5cm/2” larger than your dish and lift it into the dish, OR simply press it into the baking dish using your fingers.
10. Cut away any pastry that hangs over the edge of the dish.
11. Prick the pastry all over with a fork.

Blind Baking

1. Lay a piece of parchment paper over the raw pastry and scatter ceramic baking beans (or rice or flour) over the parchment paper, spreading them all over the surface.
2. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
3. Remove from the oven and carefully lift the parchment paper and contents off the pastry.
4. Return the pastry to the oven and cook for a further 4-5 minutes without browning too much.
5. Take the dish out of the oven and gently remove the warm pastry case out of the dish and leave it to cool.

Apple Filling

1. Peel, core and slice the apples.
2. Arrange the sliced apples on the cooked pastry case.
3. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 25-30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile sieve the jam to remove any bits and warm it gently.
5. Remove the tart from the oven and gently brush jam all over the apples.
6. Leave to cool.