Last updated on April 23rd, 2012
MY GLAZED APPLE TART is a little unconventional — I use puff pastry instead of traditional pate brisee for the crust — but it’s the prettiest, tastiest, and easiest tart in the world to make. In fact, if you have puff pastry in your freezer, apples in your fridge, and apricot preserves in your pantry, you can make this shimmering sweet sonnet right now (as I did this morning, for breakfast):
Glazed Apple Tart
Ingredients for one 9- x 8-inch tart, serving 4-6 people
One Puff Pastry Sheet – see proceeding note
Two medium-size apples, ‘Golden Delicious’ or ‘Crispin’ preferred
One 18oz jar Apricot Preserves
Butter
Sugar
Special Equipment
A pastry brush; a baking sheet, heavy-duty aluminum foil; a small sieve (for straining the preserves); a small saucepan (for heating the glaze)
A note about puff pastry: If you have the time, and enjoy squishing, with your fingers, flour and frozen cubes of butter, by all means make your own puff pastry. I did just that about 20 years ago. Yes, the final product was out-of-this-world delicious…but what a job! Today I rely on store-bought puff pastry made by Pepperidge Farm.
Preparing the Baking Sheet – invert your baking sheet, and cover it with aluminum foil. Butter the foil well. This will permit you to slide the finished tart onto a serving tray with ease.
Making the glaze – Spoon out the apricot preserves into a glass bowl. Microwave on high for about one minute, or until preserves start to bubble. Pour the heated preserves into a sieve set over a saucepan, as pictured above, and mash down with the back of a spoon until all liquid has seeped into the pan. (It’s easier than it sounds.)
Add 3 Tbs sugar to the liquid, and heat until boiling while stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes until a thick syrup is achieved, as above. Pour this glaze into a screw-top jar (I wash-out and reuse the same jar the preserves came in), where it will keep, without refrigeration, for months.
Forming the tart – remove one thawed puff pastry sheet from its package. Unfold the sheet, and roll it out into a rough rectangle, approximately 10- x 9-inches, as above.
Cut off one inch from each corner. Using your pastry brush, paint a one-inch band of water all around the rectangle’s borders, then fold over one inch of dough down along the sides and ends. As shown above, use the tines of a fork to secure the overlapping dough. Gently grasp each end of the tart, and transfer to the buttered, foil-covered cookie sheet.
Chilling the shell – Place the shell in your refrigerator for about 15 minutes. It must be kept cold in order to hold its shape during baking.
Preparing the apples – Core and peel, then cut each apple in half lengthwise. Slice the halves crosswise, as above.
Transferring apples to tart – slip a knife under each sliced apple half, and transfer to the tart shell. If you wish, separate and spread the individual slices to achieve the look you want. Sprinkle apples and exposed pastry with sugar.
Baking – 30-35 minutes at 375 degrees. The tart is done when pastry has puffed and turned golden brown.
Glazing the tart – If your glaze has cooled, reheat it just to the boiling stage. Then thoroughly paint both apples and pastry with glaze.
Serving – slide the tart onto a platter or board, and let it rest for an hour or more at room temperature. As it cools, the apricot glaze will shimmer like starlight. Serve as is, or with ice cream, whipped cream, or sour cream.
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Yolanda says
You made this FOR BREAKFAST? Can I marry you?
Carol says
I'll definitely make this — probably for a Sunday brunch. Painting on the glaze looks like fun!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Yolanda – but dear, I'm already married!
Carol – This is perfect for a Sunday brunch. And, if you make the glaze ahead of time — it keeps well — you can form the shell and bake the tart in no time at all.
erin says
I think I'll be making this for a weekend breakfast… looks so so good…. Also I love your collection of blue and white plates. I love using my blue willow pattern plates-bowls. I think it makes the food look prettier.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Erin – I love blue willow too, but don't own any. The platter up top is Enoch & Sons…I found it and a few other Enoch pieces at a little antique shop in Maine.
Samantha says
At last, a pastry dessert that even I can manage. Definitely for Sunday brunch.
Brigid O'Brien says
Kevin, thank you for helping to get over my cheese addiction. This will replace it nicely. YUM.
Katreader says
Oh yummm!
LilyBiscuit says
I'm going to make this….I just showed my son the photo and we both think it looks delicious! Thanks!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
LilyBiscuit – Great! Let me know how it works out for you — maybe your son can help you “paint” the tart with the apricot glaze…it's the most-fun part of the recipe!
Marlene says
I think I need to make this soon!!
Adele says
Kevin, I made this on Sunday and we ate it all day long. It is yummy. Thanks for the recipe.
betty troutman says
those recipes must be from your up coming book—–all beauties–but when will it appear? you know we are all waiting to make you a rich….stop tantalizing us….betty