Serves: 6
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes (th.7-8 – 250°C)
Shortcrust Pastry:
200g flour
100g extra-fine butter
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 tablespoon sugar
About 1/2 glass cold water
Filling:
1 kg Reine des Reinettes apples
75g caster sugar
40g fresh butter
As a professional baker with years of experience crafting traditional French pastries, I recommend this authentic Reine des Reinettes apple tart. Start by preparing the shortcrust pastry: Cut the firm butter into small pieces, then lightly rub it into the flour with your fingertips until crumbly.
Form a well in the flour mixture, add the salt and sugar in the center, and gradually pour in just enough cold water to bring the dough together into a soft, non-sticky ball. Work quickly to avoid overdeveloping the gluten— the dough should remain coarse, lumpy, and sandy in texture. Roll into a ball, wrap, and let rest for 20-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the apples: Quarter them, remove cores and seeds, peel thinly, and slice into 3-4 mm thick pieces.
Once rested, fraisage the dough by spreading it with the palm of your hand for better cohesion, then fold into quarters like a towel. Roll out into a disc slightly larger than your tart mold, about 4 mm thick.
Line the mold (no need to butter it—the pastry is rich enough). Pinch the edges to form a decorative ridge.
Arrange the apple slices neatly in overlapping layers, starting with a row around the outside, then reversing direction inward for a beautiful pattern. Pile them high—the more apples, the better the tart. Sprinkle generously with caster sugar and dot with butter pieces. If you have dough scraps, cut into strips for an optional lattice top.
Bake in the middle of a very hot preheated oven (250°C) for 30-35 minutes, until golden and perfectly cooked through.
Remove from the oven, unmold immediately, and cool on a wire rack. Serve warm for the best flavor, ideally within a few hours.
Source: Les Bons Desserts
