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Apple tart

Updated: Dec 26, 2023


I love working with apples, especially the golden delicious variety. They add a delightful touch to desserts!

Here I decided to wink at the tart tatin and create my own version. Just to be clear. I'm not claiming this to be the ultimate or unreachable masterpiece. This is simply my take, and I'm thrilled with how it turned out! Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think!


Required recipes



Neutral glazing can be prepared the day before and kept in the fridge. It will be enough to use the microwave at low power to melt the glazing.


Equipment



 

Day 1


Apple tart


1-2 Golden delicious apple. You can ideally use the apples that you prefer, but these are my favourites.

25g Acacia honey (or you can use something bitter like chestnuts honey)

25g Glucose syrup

25g Butter

100g Caster sugar

45g Heavy cream

4g Gelatine sheet


  1. Peel the apples and cut them into medium size cubes. Don't make them too small. Their size will reduce anyway when cooking them.

  2. In a pan, melt the butter on a low heat together with the honey and the glucose.

  3. Add the apple cubes and cook on a medium heat for a few minutes while stirring. Apple cubes should not become too soft.

  4. Pass through a sieve to only keep the apple cubes only.

  5. Re-hydrate the gelatine in cold water.

  6. In a small pot heat the heavy cream and bring to simmer.

  7. With the sugar, make a dry caramel and remove from the heat when it reaches a golden color. Deglaze with the hot cream while stirring. Return from time to time to the heat if needed to melt any lump of caramel.

  8. Remove from the heat, add the apple cubes and the re-hydrated gelatine. Then mix with a spatula.

  9. Pour into your mold and freeze overnight.


Puff pastry base


Homemade puff pastry is the best option here but using an industrial one also serves the purpose, in particular considering that the whole recipe includes many preparations.


  1. Use a pastry cutter to give the proper shape to the puff pastry; circles in this discs.

  2. Place the puff pastry discs on a baking tray lined with a perforated baking mat (or paper). Place on top another baking mat and again another baking tray. Purpose is to allow the pastry to puff slightly, so don't use a heavy baking tray. Note that if you wish the puff pastry to be thicker you can stack circles.

  3. 3. Bake in the oven at 200 °C for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 175 °C and bake for additional 40-45 minutes.

  4. 4. Remove the baking tray and mat from the top. If the puff pastry is still not golden color, place it back into the oven (without the mat / tray on top) and bake until it reaches a deep golden color, then remove the baking tray.

  5. [optional] Increase the temperature to 200 °C. Dust the top of the baked puff pastry with an even layer of icing sugar and place the tray back to the oven for 5 minutes.

  6. Cool for at least 1 hour before using and eventually store at room temperature in an airtight container.


 

Day 2


Apple & Cinnamon crispy leaf


112g Apple juice. You can buy this but be aware that it will include more sugar than the one you can prepare by yourself.

10g Potato starch

33g Isomalt

7g Glucose

1g Salt

At taste Cinnamon powder


  1. Whisk all the ingredients in a pot on a low heat and bring to boil.

  2. Transfer in a bowl and let it cool down with pellicola in contact with the top part.

  3. Spread the mixture on a silicon mat (don't use a perforated one) using a leaves stencil, then remove the stencil and bake in the oven at 170°C for 30 minutes.

  4. Carefully remove the leaves from the silicon mat with a metallic spatula. They are expected to be tender at this point (this is the key to shape them with a silicon press).

  5. Quickly place each leaf in the silicon press and press. Note that if you overcook the leaves they will crack when pressing them (and they will be way too bitter at taste).

  6. You can keep the leaves for 2-3 days in a air-tight container at room temperature.


Whipped vanilla ganache (by Antonio Bachour)


90g Heavy cream (35% fat)

10g Invert sugar (or honey)

10g Glucose (or corn syrup)

1/2 Vanilla pod

70g White chocolate

125g Heavy cream (35% fat) cold

1.25g Gelatine sheet


  1. Rehydrate the gelatine in cold water for 5-10 minutes.

  2. Put the 90 g heavy cream, invert sugar, glucose and vanilla pod into a small pot and bring to simmer.

  3. Add the rehydrated gelatine, then gradually pour on the chocolate and stir until fully incorporated.

  4. Add the cold cream and mix with a hand blender. Target is just to incorporate (and not to emulsify) so a few seconds are enough.

  5. Let to set in the fridge overnight.

  6. Whip to medium peak when you want to use it. In this case I whipped immediately and put it into a quenelle mold to freeze overnight.


 

Day 3


Assembly


  1. Remove the apple tart portions from the freezer and pour the neutral glazing on them.

  2. Place each tart on top of a puff pastry base.

  3. Remove the whipped vanilla ganache quenelles from the freezer. Unmold and put it on top of the tart. You can also use white velvet spray for an extra touch.

  4. Add a crispy apple and cinnamon leaf on top of the tart.

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