French Apple Tart

F says France and my dish from this fabulous country is French Apple Tart.Somehow my crust got swollen , yeah!It is true and I am saying that it became giant sized.  But instead everybody loved it and didn’t complained about.
French cuisine varies according to the season. In summer, salads and fruit dishes are popular because they are refreshing and produce is inexpensive and abundant. Greengrocers prefer to sell their fruit and vegetables at lower prices if needed, rather than see them rot in the heat. At the end of summer, mushrooms become plentiful and appear in stews throughout France.

French regional cuisines use locally grown vegetables, such as pomme de terre (potato), blé (wheat), haricots verts (a type of French green bean), carotte (carrot), poireau (leek), navet (turnip), aubergine (eggplant), courgette (zucchini), and échalotte (shallot).

French regional cuisines use locally grown fungi, such as truffe (truffle), champignon de Paris (button mushroom), chanterelle ou girolle (chanterelle), pleurote (en huître) (oyster mushrooms), and cèpes (porcini).
Common fruits include oranges, tomatoes, tangerines, peaches, apricots, apples, pears, plums, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, redcurrants, blackberries, grapes, grapefruit, and blackcurrants.

Country- France
Capital- Paris
Dish-Apple Tart
Source – Here

For Crust:
1 1/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cubed
2 tablespoon ice water

For the compote:
3 gala apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
2 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup water
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
zest of 1 lemon

For the topping:

2 gala apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/8 “ thin
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoon apricot jam
juice of 1/2 a lemon

Method:

In a bowl combine flour, salt and sugar and mix until combined. Add butter cubes a few at a time, until dough resembles a coarse meal. Add water until dough comes together. Turn out onto a floured surface and roll into a ball . Wrap it in a plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes .

Roll out dough onto a floured surface and fit into a 9” tart pan.

Meanwhile, place apple chunks, juice, water cinnamon and zest in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan. Cover and bring to a boil and let cook for 10 mins.

Simmer until most of the liquid is evaporated. Press it into a paste with a fork. Allow to cool completely, it will thicken as it cools.

Spread a single layer of compote on the bottom, and place in freezer while you prep your apples.

Peel, core and slice apples very thin, about 1/8 “ thick. Place in bowl and squeeze with lemon juice to prevent browning.

Remove tart from the freezer. When placing the apples the idea is to create a pattern. Starting from the outside and working your way into the center. Layer each apple, cut side down, one slightly overlapping the other, making your way all around the tart until you reach the center.

Bake at 200 degree for 15 minutes and then reduce heat to 180 and bake for 20 more minutes, or until golden brown.

Place the jam in the microwave and heat on high for 15 secs or until melted. Brush tart with jam to create a nice shine.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of homemade whipped cream.

Serve –6  Baking time–40 minutes

Best regards,