Tuesdays With Dorie : French Apple Tart

This tart is one of the many reasons I like to bake with Tuesdays With Dorie (TWD) group.. If I wasn't, I would look at this recipe and found it too complicated for my baking skills and patience, and passed.. And wouldn't have this gorgeous tart coming out of my oven.. So proud :)

This is a kind of tart you would eat in a French patisserie.. It has a flaky no-sugar crust, delicious oven baked apple sauce and beautifully arranged apple slices on top.. Definitely delivers in both beauty and taste.. A winner recipe and would make a perfect ending to any dinner..

Well the process is not difficult according to my opinion, but it takes a lot of time.. Let me list the stages:

First day, I prepared the 1/4 recipe of flaky pie dough (I used the same dough for blueberry-nectarine pie couple of months ago).. I chilled the dough in the fridge overnight.. Next day, I rolled it to fit 9 inch fluted tart pan, cut and shaped the edges.. I chilled the crust in the tart pan, and blind baked for 20 minutes..

Then starts preparation of the apple sauce: apples are peeled, cut and tossed with sugar, flour, cinnamon, bread crumbs, and baked for 15-20 minutes.. Smells and tastes delicious out of the oven.. Baked apples are mashed and left to cool down.. When cooled down, it is spooned in to the cooled tart shell..

Then another 2-3 apples (I used 3) are peeled and thinly sliced to decorate the top as a rosette.. After arranging apple slices nicely, I brushed all over with melted butter and sprinkled with sugar.. And baked the tart for 25 minutes..

At this point your house smells heavenly: apple, cinnamon, butter and all.. Makes it very difficult to wait until the time to eat comes.. Just before serving, I removed the tart from the pan, and sprinkled the sides with confectioner's sugar..

I loved this pie, and I am sure I will make it again for special occasions, dinner parties.. We enjoyed it with cream fresh, and it complements the pie very well.. The book says it is at its best slightly warm or at room temperature.. I agree, but it was almost as good out of the fridge in the next 2 days..

For the recipe please visit this week's host Gaye's blog or page 379 of Baking With Julia..

I will be in Turkey during the month of February, and not sure if I will manage to bake the recipes assigned for February by TWD.. Most probably I will write again in March.. Take care until then..