Gordon’s Apple Tart Thierry
Posted: January 10, 2009 at 1:43 am
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
Apple tart
- 200g puff pastry
- 8-10 Pink Lady apples, depending on size
Apple purée
- 150g Pink Lady apples
- 1 vanilla pod, seeds only
- 1 knob butter, unsalted
- 1 tbsp Calvados
- 3 tbsp caster sugar
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- squeeze of lemon juice
Vanilla sugar
- 2 vanilla pods, seeds only
- 4 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- clotted cream to serve
Method: How to make Gordon’s apple tart Thierry
1. Preheat oven to 200°C/Gas 6
2. For the tart, peel, core and quarter the apples. Finely slice into each quarter and gently fan out the slices whilst still keeping them all together. Repeat until all the apples are done
3. To make the apple purée, peel, core and chop the apples (you may also use any leftover trimmings from the other apples). Scrape the vanilla seeds into a pan together with the butter. Add the Calvados, caster sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice. Allow to heat through then add the apple pieces and leave to soften. Add a little water if necessary. When the apples have softened, spoon the mixture into a blender and pulse until smooth. Spread the mixture out on a baking tray and allow to cool
4. Roll out the puff pastry thinly on a lightly floured surface to a 2mm thickness. The tart base should be roughly 30cm wide. Transfer to your baking tray and prick all over with a fork. Using your fingertips, pinch all the way around the sides of the pastry to form a slightly risen edge – this will help to hold the apples in. Spread the purée over the pastry base, not too thick, but enough so that it will provide a hold for the apple wedges to stand upright
5. Tightly pack the fanned out apple wedges into the tart in concentric circles – starting from the outside in. Packing them tightly together will also help them to hold their shape. Once the entire tart has been covered, whisk together three quarters of the caster sugar with the vanilla seeds and cinnamon. Sprinkle half this vanilla sugar over the top of the apples. Using a pastry brush, brush some softened butter over the apples and sprinkle the remaining vanilla sugar on top
6. Repeat the process, brushing again with butter and finish with some plain caster sugar
7. Cook in the oven for 10 minutes then cover the tart with lightly greased baking parchment and weigh down with another baking sheet. Holding the sandwiched baking sheets tightly, flip them so the pastry is now on top of the apples. Bake for another 10 minutes until the pastry is brown and crisp
8. Serve in slices with a spoonful of clotted cream