French Apple Tart Recipe With Pastry Cream

Ingredients:

For the Pastry Dough:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into bits  
• 1 large egg yolk
• Ice-cold water

For the Pastry Cream:

• 3 large egg yolks
• 3 to 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Apple Layer:

• 3 large or 4 small apples, preferably firm and tart
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

For the Glaze:

• 1/4 cup apricot jam
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice or water

Instructions:

1. Make the Pastry Dough:

• Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl.
• Cut in cold butter until pea-sized pieces.
• Work in egg yolk.
• Gradually add ice water until dough forms a ball.
• Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

2. Make the Pastry Cream:

• Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a bowl.
• Whisk in flour and cornstarch.
• Heat milk with vanilla bean (or extract) in a saucepan.
• Remove vanilla bean and slowly whisk milk into egg mixture.
• Strain mixture back into the saucepan.
• Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until thickened.
• Cook for another half minute, stirring.
• Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla extract.
• Chill pastry cream in the fridge or over an ice bath, stirring occasionally.

3. Assemble and Bake the Tart:

• Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
• Peel, core, and thinly slice apples.
• Toss apples with sugar and cinnamon (and lemon juice, if desired).
• Roll out pastry into a circle and fit into a 9-inch tart pan.
• Spread pastry cream over the bottom of the pastry shell.
• Arrange apple slices in a pattern over the pastry cream.
• Dot apples with butter.
• Wrap edges of tart pan with aluminum foil.
• Bake for 40 minutes.
• Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes, or until apples and crust are nicely colored.
• Let tart cool on a rack.

4. Glaze the Tart:

• Heat apricot jam and lemon juice until boiling.
• Strain mixture.
• Brush apricot glaze over the cooled tart.
• Refrigerate tart before serving.

Tips:

• For a sweeter pastry, use a pate sucree recipe.
• Chill the tart before serving for best flavor.

Enjoy your delicious apple tart!