French Apple Tart
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With a buttery, flaky crust and sweet, cinnamon-spiced apples, this apple tart is simple, delicious, and full of rustic French charm.
When you think of French desserts, you might imagine rows of colorful macarons and glossy fruit tarts in a Parisian pastry shop. But at home, the French tend to keep it simple. This rustic apple tart is the perfect example—like an apple pie without the pan, it has a buttery, flaky crust and cinnamon-spiced apples. Can’t you just picture it cooling on a windowsill in the French countryside?
It making homemade pastry feels intimidating, don’t stress! This dough is a breeze to make in the food processor and rolls out like a dream. The best part? With a free-form tart, there’s no need to fuss with crimping it into a pie plate; you just fold the dough over the fruit. The charm of this dessert is in its rustic, imperfect look. And there are endless variations too—like my plum galette, which swaps apples for juicy, sweet plums.
“This is officially on the holiday dessert starting line up! I can’t stop going back for another bite! I truly love, love, love this tart.”
What you’ll need to make a french apple tart
- All-purpose flour: Forms the base of the crust and provides structure to the dough and tart.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor of both the crust and filling.
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness to the crust and filling, balancing the tartness of the apples.
- Butter: Makes the crust rich and flaky while also adding flavor to the filling.
- Very cold water: Helps bind the dough together while keeping the butter cold for a flaky crust.
- Baking apples: Lend a sweet-tart flavor and hold their shape when baked. Use varieties like Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Fuji, Granny Smith, or Golden Delicious—and use a mix of different apples for the best flavor. Heads up: it can be tempting to load up the tart with extra apples, but less is more here—the apples release quite a bit of juice, which can leak from the tart and make a mess of the crust and your oven.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and enhances the sweetness in the apple filling.
- Cinnamon: Adds a warm, spicy flavor to the filling, complementing the apples.
- Melted butter: Adds richness to the apple filling and helps the cinnamon and sugar adhere to the apples.
- Egg: Brushed onto the crust for a golden, glossy finish.
- Turbinado sugar: Sprinkled on the crust and apples for added sweetness and a crunchy texture.
- Apricot jelly or jam (optional): Used to glaze the apples, giving them a glossy finish and adding a subtle fruit flavor.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Crust
Begin by making the pastry. In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the flour, salt and sugar.
Pulse briefly to combine, then add the pieces of cold butter.
Process just until the butter is the size of peas, about 5 seconds.
Sprinkle the ice water over the mixture and process just until moistened and very crumbly, about 5 seconds.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface.
Knead a few times, just until it comes together into a cohesive ball.
Pat the dough into a disk.
Flour your work surface again and dust the dough with flour, as well. Using a rolling pin, roll into a circle 8 to 10 inches in diameter, turning and adding more flour as necessary so the dough doesn’t stick. Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate while you prepare the filling (you’ll roll the dough out further on the parchment paper so go ahead and clean your work surface).
Step 2: Prepare the Filling
Peel, core, and cut the apples into 1/8-inch-thick slices (you should have about 4 cups) and place in a large bowl. Add the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, melted butter, and salt.
Toss to combine.
Step 3: Assemble
Take the dough from the fridge and slide the parchment paper onto the countertop. Roll the dough, directly on the parchment paper, into a 14-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. It’s fine if the edges are a little ragged.
Place the parchment and dough back on the baking sheet – the pastry should curve up the lip of the pan.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of flour evenly over the pastry.
Arrange the apple slices on top in overlapping concentric circles to within 3 inches of the edge. Don’t worry about making it look perfect! It doesn’t make much difference in the end and you don’t want the dough to get too warm.
Fold the edges of the dough over the apples in a free-form fashion, working your way around and creating pleats as you go. Patch up any tears by pinching a bit of dough from the edge.
Using a pastry brush, brush the pleated dough evenly with the beaten egg.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the turbinado sugar over the top crust and 1 tablespoon over the fruit. Then chill the assembled tart in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes while you preheat the oven.
Step 4: Bake
Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the crust is golden and cooked through. Transfer the pan to a rack and let cool. While the tart cools, make the optional glaze: mix the apricot jam with 1-1/2 teaspoons water in a small bowl. Heat in the microwave until bubbling, about 20 seconds. Then, using a pastry brush, brush the apples with the apricot syrup.
Use two large spatulas to transfer the tart to a serving plate or cutting board. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature. The tart is best served on the day it is made, but leftovers will keep, loosely covered on the countertop, for a few days.
Video Tutorial
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French Apple Tart
With a buttery, flaky crust and sweet, cinnamon-spiced apples, this apple tart is simple, delicious, and full of rustic French charm.
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) very cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
- ¼ cup very cold water
For the Filling
- 1¾ lbs baking apples (3 large) (see note)
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For Assembling & Baking
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
- 1 tablespoon apricot jelly or jam, optional for glaze
Instructions
- Make the crust: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the flour, salt and sugar. Pulse briefly to combine. Add the cold butter and process just until the butter is the size of peas, about 5 seconds. Sprinkle the ice water over the mixture and process just until moistened and very crumbly, about 5 seconds. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead a few times, just until it comes together into a cohesive ball. Pat the dough into a disk. Flour your work surface again and dust the dough with flour, as well. Using a rolling pin, roll into a circle 8 to 10 inches in diameter, turning and adding more flour as necessary so the dough doesn’t stick. Transfer the dough to the parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate while you prepare the filling (you’ll roll the dough out further on the parchment paper so go ahead and clean your work surface).
- Make the Filling: Peel, core, and cut the apples into ⅛-inch-thick slices (you should have about 4 cups) and place in a large bowl. Add the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, melted butter, and salt; toss to combine.
- Take the dough from the fridge and slide the parchment paper onto the countertop. Roll the dough, directly on the parchment paper, into a 14-inch circle about ⅛ inch thick. It’s fine if the edges are a little ragged. Place the parchment and dough back on the baking sheet – the pastry should curve up the lip of the pan.
- Assemble the tart: Sprinkle the flour evenly over the pastry. Arrange the apple slices on top in overlapping concentric circles to within 3 inches of the edge. Don’t worry about making it look perfect! It doesn’t make much difference in the end and you don’t want the dough to get too warm. Fold the edges of the dough over the apples in a free-form fashion, working your way around and creating pleats as you go. Patch up any tears by pinching a bit of dough from the edge.
- Using a pastry brush, brush the pleated dough evenly with the beaten egg. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the turbinado sugar over the top crust and 1 tablespoon over the fruit. Chill the assembled tart in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the center position.
- Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the crust is golden and cooked through. (It’s okay if some of the juices leak from the tart onto the pan. The juices will burn on the pan but the tart should be fine -- just scrape any burnt bits away from the tart once it’s baked.) Transfer the pan to a rack and let cool.
- While the tart cools, make the optional glaze. In a small bowl, mix the apricot jam with 1½ teaspoons water. Heat in the microwave until bubbling, about 20 seconds. Using a pastry brush, brush the apples with the apricot syrup.
- Use two large spatulas to transfer the tart to a serving plate or cutting board. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature. The tart is best served on the day it is made, but leftovers will keep, loosely covered on the countertop, for a few days.
- Note: Be sure to use baking apples that hold their shape when cooked, such as Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Fuji, Granny Smith, or Golden Delicious. And use a mix of different varietals for the best flavor.
- Make Ahead: The dough can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated. Allow it to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes or until pliable before rolling.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The assembled tart may be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, place the baking sheet in the freezer until the tart is frozen, then wrap tightly. (Wait until right before baking the tart to brush the beaten egg and sprinkle the sugar onto the crust.) Bake directly from the freezer. (It may take a few extra minutes to bake from frozen.)
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Serving size: 1 slice
- Calories: 392
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated fat: 13 g
- Carbohydrates: 49 g
- Sugar: 26 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Sodium: 195 mg
- Cholesterol: 73 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This is the BEST apple tart you will ever make. The crust is like a croissant only better. Wonderful!
I will definitely be making this for Thanksgiving…Can I substitute apricot spread for apricot jam or jelly? I’m having a hard time finding jam or jelly! Also, when freezing the tart why is it put directly into the freezer without wrapping? Thanks.
Hi Wendy, the apricot spread should work fine here. And regarding freezing the tart without wrapping it– that should be until the tart is just frozen and not sticky. As soon as it’s at that point, it should be tightly wrapped.
Wooowww – Just wooow!!
I was intimidated by the recipe, not very good baker here. BUT First, I didn’t have enough butter, so substituted with some lard (yup, we use it in Hungarian pastries) though I put less, since it is more greasy. Then, since no butter, I used margarine on the apples, but did not put the leftover juice from the bowl into the cake. After I some kindly messy manner I put on the apples, I just saw how you put them. Oh well, too late…My oven bakes from the top so it got a tiny bit “gipsy”. My partner kept asking “can we eat it already?” every 2 minutes while it was cooling down. He ate 2 slices in a second beat :))) AMAZINGLY AWESOME AND EASY !! I’m impressed 🙂
Yet another amazing recipe! This is delicious and gorgeous!
I made this as written last night and got rave reviews. I even forgot to add the flour to the top of the dough before I put the fruit on and it still came out great. Thank you Jenn!
Can the whole recipe be baked and then frozen?
Hi Judy, I think you’d get the best results if you froze this before baking. That said, if you want to bake it first, I’d defrost it in the fridge and then reheat it in a 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until heated through.
I have made this twice omitting the apricot jelly. Each time people have gone mad for this dessert. Well Done. They absolutely LOVE the crust. As a cooking novice, I would love to know how to change it for blueberries, cherries, peaches, or pear? I saw in previous comments to reduce the sugar. Any ideas on how much? Thank you Jen. I will be making many of your dishes this Thanksgiving. Hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday.
Hi Jane, so glad it has been a hit! I think some other fruits could be used here, but I’d probably avoid berries as they release so much juice (and because certain berries, like blueberries, are more tart, you’d need to add more sugar which would create even more juice). Peaches should work nicely with no changes in the sugar, pears would probably need a little less sugar. And, in terms of cherries, I might suggest mixing them with another fruit such as pears. Hope that helps!
Hi Jenn,
I’m thinking about making this for Thanksgiving. Can it be made ahead and then kept in the refrigerator overnight and then baked the following day? I would like to serve it warm after dinner.
Thanks!
Hi Katy, I would actually freeze it and then bake it directly from the freezer. (I worry that the apples will weep out moisture and make the dough soggy if left in the fridge.) You could also just bake it a day ahead and warm slightly in the oven before serving — it’s best served at room temp or just slightly warm. Hope that helps!
Delicious taste but I ran into several challenges while making the recipe. First, the apples. I purchased large apples but failed to take into consideration that all 3 should be approximately the same size. The only Honey Crisps in the produce dept. were very large but I wanted this variety so I purchased them anyway. In the end, working with different sized slices compromised the appearance of the concentric rings. In addition, when the time came to arrange the apples on the crust, all of the sugar coating had dissolved and I was working with wet apples and didn’t know what to do with the liquid in the bottom of my mixing bowl. (I ended pouring it on top of the apples.) Second, the crust. I followed the directions, rolling my dough on a floured silpat into a 10” circle and refrigerated it. When I transferred it from the refrig to the parchment (to roll it into a 14” circle) it stuck to the parchment (directions did not say to rub additional flour as needed on the parchment). I had quite the challenge scraping the dough off of the parchment and trying to fold it over the apples. The dough tore and got soft. The final appearance & end result was somewhat disappointing—the apples were fork tender in 55 minutes but when I served the tart the bottom of the crust was slightly underdone–due perhaps to the low oven temp? The entire procedure turned out to be much more stressful than making an apple pie. If I decide to make the recipe again, I would (1) make sure all of my apples were the same size, (2) do the crust in its entirety before making the apple filling, (3) rub the parchment with flour prior to rolling the crust to 14” and then rechilling it and (4) bake @ a slightly higher temperature or at least start the baking process @ 375 or 400 degrees to prevent the soggy crust.
Hi Ellie, So sorry you had trouble with the crust! It sounds like maybe the dough got too warm and, as a result, was difficult to work with. It’s not necessary to fuss too much arranging the apples; you can actually just heap them over the dough. This will make the process of assembling the tart much faster and prevent the dough from warming up. Hope that helps!
Have made thr Rustic Apple Tart twice.easy recipe and so delicious. Second time I added some fresh cranberries.
Thank you.annette