The world’s easiest apple tart is French – and it even comes with a fancy name: Tarte Fine aux Pommes. This charming puff pastry dessert calls for just four ingredients and twelve minutes effort. Enjoy with Beef Bourguignon, Chicken Fricassee or Ratatouille for a cosy, rustic French dinner!
The easiest apple tart is French!
I’ll admit it – quick, puff pastry desserts are a great shortcut which, 95% of the time, is totally acceptable in my world. Just not exactly the sort of thing I’d proudly serve to guests. More like what I’d roll out if my grander plan fell apart, or I got so caught up perfecting the main I ran out of time for dessert. Ah, the failed dinner party stories I could share…..!
But this French Apple Tart? This one makes the cut. Because it’s JB’s recipe – and JB isn’t just anyone. He’s our resident French chef, born and raised in France, trained in Michelin-starred kitchens. Suddenly, puff pastry and apples feels less like a shortcut and more like something clever yet charming and très chic, complete with a fancy sounding name: Tarte Fine aux Pommes
If it’s good enough for JB, it’s definitely good enough for company – and more than good enough for me!
Oh, also, proof of crispy base: you can pick it up like a slice of pizza! (Did France just cringe at that comparison? 😂).
Ingredients
This French Apple Tart recipe actually came to be because we had a single sheet of puff pastry left after sharing the B85 Beef Sausage Rolls, and a couple of sad looking apples in the fruit bowl. And that, my friends, is pretty much all you need!
Apple – We used Gala for its sweet/tartness and balance, but you can use your favourite eating apple.
You needn’t worry about the cooking qualities of different varieties like you do for other apple recipes as the tart isn’t in the oven long enough for this to matter (eg. some apples soften too quickly which isn’t ideal for some dishes). We’ve made this with a variety of apples – Granny Smith (tart), Pink lady (crisp tart sweet), Fuji (extra sweet) – they all work fine, it just comes down to what apple you’ve got or what you like!
Puff pastry – I know, I was shocked, store bought puff is acceptable to the French! 😂 Well, at least, French home cooks. However, I do think France would cry if I didn’t at least (strongly!) recommend that you use puff pastry made with butter as it tastes better than puff that is made with flavourless oil. The packet will say “butter” on it.
Size – This recipe calls for a 25cm / 10″ square of puff pastry which is the standard size here in Australia. If yours is larger, trim it, or if you have smaller offcuts, press them together to make one larger one or make multiple smaller ones.
Sugar – For the underside of the puff pastry, which makes it extra crisp, as well as sprinkling on the apple and crust. You only need 5 teaspoons!
Butter – Just 1 tablespoon of melted butter, to brush across the surface of the apple and edge of the crust.
Cinnamon option – Cinnamon and apple is a classic pairing, so I wouldn’t discourage you from adding it! Just mix it with the sugar then sprinkle – I’ve included quantities in the recipe notes.
How to make this easy French Apple Tart
Preheat the tray until hot. This definitely helps make the underside a little bit crisper which is lovely!
Apple slices – Peel the apple if you want (optional). Then cut into 0.5cm / 0.2″ slices.
How I do it – Potato peeler for skin, cut in half, scoop out middle with a melon baller, then cut a little “V” out of the top and bottom. Lay it cut face down and slice. Keep the slices together as you cut rather than scattering them everywhere – makes it easy to fan out onto the pastry.
Sugar underside – Sprinkle 3 teaspoons of sugar on a sheet of baking paper (parchment paper). Then place the barely-thawed puff pastry sheet on it – the sugar will stick.
The sugar makes the underside extra crispy as well as caramelising.
Edges – Fold in the edges to form the rim of the tart. No need to use egg or anything to hold in place.
Top with apple – Lay the apple slices across the surface in three rows, overlapping them slightly. Brush with butter then sprinkle with sugar.
PS No need to prick the base – which is supposed to stop the base from puffing up. I forgot to do it and it made no difference because the apple weighs the base down.
Bake – Place the tart on the hot tray, keeping it on the paper. Bake 30 minutes.
Baked! The tart is ready when the edges are deep golden and the apple slices are lightly browned on the edges.
Serve with a dusting of icing sugar (optional) and ice cream (not optional!). Cream is also nice, but I definitely prefer ice cream.
Make this for afternoon tea or a cosy dessert for dinner. I can see you serving this up after a rich Beef Bourguignon, French Chicken Fricassee, a slow cooked Shredded Beef Ragu or a Herb & Garlic Butter Roast Chicken.
To be honest, I can’t think of much I wouldn’t serve this with! Well, perhaps not if I was doing an Asian themed menu. But anything western, European, even Middle Eastern, Moroccan, South American, I absolutely would. You can also add a touch of flavours from cuisines of the world to suit themed menus – for example:
sprinkle of chopped pistachios, almonds or other nuts (Middle Eastern / Greek / Lebanese – where nuts in desserts are loved!)
with rum ‘ n raisin ice cream (Caribbean)
dulce de leche (Latin American cuisines)
I’ve popped a few more ideas in the FAQ below. Let me know what you serve this with, I want to know! – Nagi x
PS Eating it plain, with your hands, devouring it like you would a slice of pizza, is absolutely acceptable in my books.
FAQ
Absolutely. You’ll see this in bakeries across France when apples are in season. Though admittedly, real bakeries would make their own puff pastry, it is by no means unacceptable for home cooks to use store bought puff pastry!
Plus, this is a JB recipe. I should have opened with that, because, need I say more? 🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷
Ahh, this one was pretty low effort compared to recent ones! We tried various baking methods to see the impact on the crispiness of the underside of the pastry (pre-heated tray trumps cold tray, paper v no paper didn’t make much difference). Then we also made it with a variety of apples so we could choose our favourite (gala).
Then once we settled on our final recipe, I made it once to film the recipe video the again to photograph it. The melting ice cream made it impossible to use the same on for both video and photography!
If you can find gluten free puff pastry, yes you can! I haven’t tried gluten free puff pastry so I can’t comment on quality.
Yes! Here are some suggestions:
Pears and nashi pears – I haven’t tried but confident it will work with the recipe as written
Berries – like strawberries, blueberries etc leech too much liquid and make the base too wet, so what I do is spread the base with a little jam to create a protective layer, then top with the berries. Blueberries are my favourite because you get a good mix of some burst, and some just barely holding together. I like to drizzle with a glaze – you can use the one in this glazed loaf, just scale down.
Canned fruit – like apricots, peaches. I haven’t tried but I think they, like berries, will make the base considerably wetter (therefore soggy) so I would recommend spreading with jam.
Figs – Haven’t tried, but I think it would be fabulous!
Juicy fruits – like oranges and other citrus, mango – I haven’t tried because I don’t think they’d work for a simple recipe like this, though I could be wrong. I would probably spread with some kind of base like a cream cheese mixture, frangipane etc to absorb the liquid so the puff pastry base doesn’t become too soggy.
Here are some suggestions:
whipped cream
dollop of marscapone or creme fraiche
drizzle of salted caramel, dulce de leche, chocolate sauce or a glaze (scale down the one in this recipe)
sprinkle of toasted nuts (almonds flakes, chopped pistachios for a lovely dusting of bright green)
chopped pralines or other toffee / caramel candied nuts
Watch how to make it
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Easy French Apple Tart – Tarte Fine aux Pommes
Ingredients
- 1 square sheet butter puff pastry (25cm / 10″ square), barely thawed (Note 1)
- 5 tsp caster sugar / superfine sugar (sub regular / granulated)
- 2 large gala apples (or 3 medium), peeled, cut in half, core removed, sliced 0.5cm / 0.2″ thick (Note 2)
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter , melted
For serving:
- Icing sugar / powdered sugar , for dusting (optional)
- Vanilla ice cream (not really optional!)
Instructions
- ABBREVIATED: Sprinkle paper with 3t sugar, put puff on, fold in 1cm / 0.4" edge. Top with apple, brush butter, sprinkle 2t sugar. Bake on preheated tray at 210°C/375°F (190°C fan) for 30 minutes.
FULL RECIPE:
- Hot tray – Put a baking tray in the oven then turn it on and pre-heat to 210°C/375°F (190°C fan-forced).
- Sugar underside of puff – Place a sheet of baking paper (parchment paper) on the counter. Sprinkle with 3 teaspoons of sugar, roughly in the shape of the puff pastry sheet.
- Fold edge – Place puff pastry on top of the sugar. Fold the edges inwards to create a 1cm / 0.4" edge.
- Apples – Arrange the apples slices in 3 rows, overlapping them slightly.
- Butter and sugar – Brush the apple slices and edges with melted butter, then sprinkle with the sugar (apple and edge).
- Bake – Transfer the tart on the paper to the hot baking tray (keep it on the paper). Bake for 30 minutes, or until the edges are golden.
- Serve – Cut into 6, dust with icing sugar and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Apple dessert recipes
I didn’t realise I had so many apple recipes!! Don’t make my pick a favourite. (OK fine, it’s got to be apple crumble. Or baked apples. Or apple muffins. Or apple cake!)
Life of Dozer
Dozer started hydro therapy today!
Hydro therapy has been suggested as a way to help Dozer rebuild his muscles which have degenerated over the past 15 months since he was diagnosed with laryngeal paralysis. As anyone with a physical condition would know, problems exacerbate problems, and Dozer is a classic example of that. “Oh Dozer, are you stuck again?” has become a phrase we use more and more each day (referring to his inability to get up by himself).
I was determined to do his rehab au naturel with regular trips to the beach for swimming, but the practicalities are proving too hard. So I’m adding hydro therapy to his routine, which we can do rain, hail or shine, and is just 5 minutes from home.
I know I can bring him back. I’m not ready to give up on him yet!
Love an apple tart. Your recipe looks great. But l would have liked to see a glaze on the apples as the look very sad.
I was thinking I would brush with melted apricot jam when it comes out of the oven. 😋
Great idea!
Going away to York soon for a week with girl friends & sister – this will definitely be on the menu with lashings of vanilla ice cream 👏
Good luck to Dozer with his hydrotherapy 🥰
This tart + vanilla ice cream = guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Hi Nagi, I am so glad to see you are helping Dozer gain his strength and muscles back, he is adorable. My little dog has just been diagnosed with cancer that is inoperable, I am so sad as she is my very best friend and I love her very much.
Oh no Valerie! I’m devastated for you. I’m so so sorry to hear that. Please give your gorgeous girl a giant hug from me and tell her I am thinking of her tonight. She is so lucky that she has you for her mum. – N x
Have made this tart several times but….have never before seen the tip about the sugar underneath! Amazing!!
Can you add the ❤️ to save it to my recipes please? Thank you and you too Dozer, gorgeous boy xx
Yikes, I hear it’s been having some problems, let me look into it! N x
Yum! I’m definitely going to add cinnamon.
Good call! N x
Great idea!
Love your recipes…I do hope Dozer will give you more time.. Sending love and huggzzz to you both, all the way from South Africa
He bloody better! I’m giving him everything I’ve got ❤️❤️❤️❤️
When Dozer is ready, he will let you know XXXX
I am not sure I will come back from it 💔
Hiii Nagi & Dozer❣️
How’s the family?
Saw Dozer doing hydro therapy hope everything goes well❣️
It’s actually kinda funny, yesterday I was thinking about making apple pie, and here you have made it ❣️
Because of all the hard work, sacrifices and love you pour in your recipes, you make our lives more and more delicious every day❣️
Love, from what has to be one of your biggest fans & friends, with lots of love and hugs for you and Dozer, Nora❤️❤️❤️XXX
Fabulous and thank you for that great tip – sugar on the baking sheet before the pastry goes on.
Yes! It works so well! 🙂 N x
Hi Janet, so glad you liked that tip! It adds such a lovely caramelised crunch to the base, simple but game-changing!
Hey Nagi & Doser!!!
How are my cute couple?
It’s so funny, because I was practically thinking about making apple pie last night, and now you guys have made it❣️
These are fantastic, I know because they have been made with love and effort, from our dear Nagi, who always makes our days more & more delicious.
How’s the family? I saw Doser doing hydro therapy.
We’ll pray that everything goes well with you and him❣️
Love, from what has to be, one of your biggest fans & friends, Nora❤️❤️❤️XXX
Thanks Nora! Dozer pulled up GREAT after the hydro, I will definitely be keeping it up! I look forward to bringing more positive updates 🙂 N xx
Looks great! A couple of typos in the How to Cook section. 5. Three rows, not ‘rose’, 8. Dusting of icing sugar (not ice cream!).
Yikes! Thank you so much Hilary. Fixed! 🙂 N x
Would a frangipani work with this? I saw your suggestion to use it with juicier fruit and wondered if it would work with the apple… it looks lovely, and so easy, will definitely be making. Thank you 🙏🏻
Yes absolutely! It would make it even fancier 🙂 N x
Hi Kathy,
Yes, a thin layer of frangipani or almond cream would definitely work for this recipe!
Amazingly delicious! I hope this apple tart will soon get popular within your website
Hi J, so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the lovely feedback. Hopefully this apple tart earns a permanent spot among the favourites!
AMAZING
Thank you!
This looks easy & delicious. I’m making it first up tomorrow. Thanks for another great recipe.
Please let us know how it turned out!
You reply & I ignored you! I’m sorry to be so rude.
It’s a terrific recipe. I’ve made it a few times now. I really haven’t adjusted the recipe as others have. I find it delicious as is. The bottom is crispy & sweet with the sugar melted to toffee.