French Apple Tarte

(WTNH) - Emilie prepares a French Apple Tarte

Recipe for the Tart Crust:
8.8 oz (250 gr) of all-purpose bleached flour
1 pinch of salt
1 yolk egg
4.4 oz of unsalted butter, at room temperature.
¼ cup of cold water

Put flour and salt into bowl of your processor. Attach bowl and flat beater. Mix about 15 seconds. Cut butter into pieces and add into the flour. Mix 30 to 45 seconds and add the yolk egg.
Continue stirring; add water, a tablespoon at a time.

Stop the mixer before the dough turns into a ball. Flatten the pastry and shape a ball with your hands.
Place the pastry on a plate, wrap it in plastic wrap and leave in the refrigerator for 1 hour minimum. This lets the gluten relax and when you roll out the pastry it stays flat

The Tart recipe:
5 or 6 firm apples: Russets are perfect! Gala or Macintosh are good too.
4.4 oz (125 gr) of chilled salted butter, chopped in small pieces (you can also use unsalted if you prefer)
1 cup (200 gr) white granulated sugar (7oz)

Preheat the oven at 410F. The mold you choose for Tart Tatin is very important as it must be able to cook in the very hot oven with extremely hot caramelizing sugar. Peel the apples and cut into quarters removing the core. Spread all the sugar in the bottom of the mold and put all small pieces of butter on the sugar. Arrange the apples, rounded sides down, around the bottom of the pan in a circular pattern, starting from the outside and working in, fitting them as close together as possible (the apples will be the top of the tart when served).

Bake 45-55 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the apple getting cool during around 20 min. Gently roll out the tart crust to fit slightly larger than the pan. Drape the crust over the apples to cover the mixture completely. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven, and immediately invert onto a non stick baking sheet. Work quickly but carefully to avoid contact with the hot caramel. Using tongs, carefully lift the pie plate off of the tart. Transfer the sheet to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and sprinke cinnamon if you like !!

Bon appetit !!!