This week, I’m sharing a recipe from my childhood, one that feels perfectly suited to the quiet beginnings of autumn: apple tart. It is the tart my mother used to make for us when we were small—simple, yet unforgettable. Over the weekend, I called her to gather all her secrets. As so often with the best family recipes, they are passed down by word of mouth. And that is perhaps the regret: we don’t always think to write down these family treasures, even though they may be among the most precious things we inherit from those we love. If you haven’t done so already, I encourage you to begin.
Naturally, I couldn’t resist adding my own touch, as I always do. The result is a recipe both comforting and refined, a tart that will gently perfume your home with apples and cinnamon, and one that, I hope, will stir memories of your own.
Mom’s French Apple Tart
Ingredients
For the pastry dough (sweet tart crust):
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 9 tbsp (125 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
- ⅔ cup (80 g) confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
- 1 large egg
- A pinch of salt
For the filling:
- 5 to 6 medium apples (a mix of sweet and tart varieties is ideal, but any kind works)
- 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
- 1–1 ½ tbsp (15–20 g) unsalted butter
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon (optional, but recommended)
Instructions
Make the pastry
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, confectioners’ sugar, and salt.
- Add the cold butter and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture looks sandy.
- Add the egg and bring the dough together quickly without overworking it.
- Shape into a ball, flatten slightly, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Prepare the tart shell
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface.
- Transfer to a buttered tart pan (9 to 10 inches / 23–25 cm in diameter), pressing gently into the edges. Prick the base with a fork.
- Keep chilled while you prepare the apples.
Prepare the apples
- Peel, core, and dice 2 apples.
- Cook them gently in a small saucepan with a splash of water, a little sugar, and a pinch of cinnamon, until soft, like a simple applesauce.
- Slice the remaining apples into thin, even slices.
Assemble the tart
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Spread the apple sauce evenly over the pastry base.
- Arrange the apple slices on top in a neat rosette pattern.
- Sprinkle with the granulated sugar, dot with butter, and finish with a light dusting of cinnamon.
Bake
- Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the crust is golden and the apples are slightly caramelized.
- Let cool a little before serving so the flavors settle.
