Chef notes
Ina Garten has shared dozens of recipes over the years on TODAY. Her favorite? This French apple tart.
“To me, it’s just simple and elegant, which I love,” Garten shared in an exclusive interview with TODAY.com. “And it’s simple, and it’s got a crisp crust and sweet apples and butter and sugar, and easy to make.”
A chic, rustic apple tart is just about as French as the Eiffel Tower. Its simplicity and well-balanced flavor are what make it a classic dessert for fall. Thinly sliced tart apples are sprinkled with sugar and shingled elegantly on a sheet of homemade pastry dough. A mixture of apricot jelly and Calvados (an apple brandy) is brushed over the tart as it comes out of the oven, driving home the apple flavor. Since apples can be found year-round at the grocery store, you can make this French dessert whenever the craving strikes; however, it shines brightest in the fall when apples are in their prime.
A great tart starts with the crust. This recipe will walk you through the process of making pâte brisée, which is the most standard form of pie dough. It has enough butter to make it nice and flaky, and just the right amount of sugar. The crust can be made in a food processor to save you some time, but if you don’t have one, just mix it with your hands. Be sure to work quickly, since the heat from your hands will warm the butter more quickly than it would in the food processor. If you notice the dough starting to get warm or soft, just place it in the refrigerator for a few minutes to chill.
There are no spices in this apple tart, unlike with apple pie. Shingle the apple slices in a decorative pattern, sprinkle with sugar and dot the top with cubes of butter. This tart is simple enough for dessert for a casual family dinner, but elegant and festive enough to replace a more traditional apple pie during the holidays.