English Tarts

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9-inch (23 cm) deep ceramic pie dish, about 2 inches (5 cm) deep
• •Rolling pin
• •Pastry brush
• •Rimmed baking sheet
• •Pastry blender, optional

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the pâte brisée

   Mix the ⅔ cup flour with the salt. Cut in the cold butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized pieces remaining. Add 1½ tablespoons ice water and gather the dough without kneading; add the final ½ tablespoon only if dry flour remains. Flatten into a disc, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes. If the dough crumbles when pressed, ça se rattrape: work in cold water a teaspoon at a time. If it turns soft or greasy, stop and chill it rather than burying it in more flour.

   Visible pieces of cold butter are welcome. They melt in the oven and leave the pâte brisée tender; warm, overworked butter gives a hard rim.
2. 2

   Fill the dish

   Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C), or 350°F (175°C) convection, with a rack in the lower-middle position. Arrange the apple slices snugly in a 9-inch (23 cm) deep pie dish, filling it to within ½ inch (1.25 cm) of the brim. Sprinkle the ½ cup sugar evenly over the fruit, then add the 3 tablespoons water. Do not line the bottom with pastry. The apples need room to settle, and the absence of a bottom crust is part of the method.

   The water belongs with firm-fleshed apples. Omit it when applying the method to juicy plums, berries, or other aqueous fruit, exactly as the source directs.
3. 3

   Strap the rim

   On a surface dusted with some of the rolling flour, roll the chilled pâte brisée about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick. Cut strips 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide, joining them if necessary with a lightly dampened overlap. Brush the bare rim of the dish with a thin film of water, lay the strips over it, and press them into place. Brush the top of the strip very lightly with water. This strap is the dish's engineering, so keep it even and unbroken. If it slides, the rim is too wet; lift the strip, blot the dish, and set it down again.

   Any small pâte brisée scraps can be chilled, dusted with sugar, and baked beside the tart. Do not knead them repeatedly, or they become tough.
4. 4

   Seal the puff lid

   Roll the cold pâte feuilletée on the lightly floured surface into a round about 1½ inches (4 cm) wider than the dish. Lift it over the fruit with the rolling pin and lower it without stretching. Press the pastry firmly onto the dampened pâte brisée band, then trim to leave a neat ½-inch (1.25 cm) overhang and crimp the edge. If the puff paste tears, brush the torn edges with the smallest touch of water and place a cold scrap beneath them as a patch. Press once and chill for 10 minutes. Ça se rattrape.

   If the puff paste becomes limp or sticky while you work, return the entire dish to the cold for 10 minutes. Cold layers rise; softened layers merge.
5. 5

   Sugar and bake

   Brush the lid lightly with the remaining water and scatter the 2 tablespoons sugar evenly over it. Set the dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the pâte feuilletée is fully risen and deep golden, the sugar has formed a crisp granular crust, and apple juices bubble at one or two edges. A thin skewer pushed through the center should meet tender fruit. If the pastry darkens before the apples soften, cover it loosely with foil and continue baking. A bronze lid over firm apples is unfinished, not ruined.

   Water, not egg, moistens the lid in the source method. The sugar supplies the finish, leaving a dry, sparkling crust rather than a lacquered one.
6. 6

   Rest and serve

   Rest the tart in its dish for 20 minutes so the fruit juices settle and each spoonful holds together. Bring the whole dish to the table and serve generous portions with the chilled or cool English Sauce (No. 2406) passed separately in a sauceboat. The warm apples, crisp sugared lid, and cool custard need no further decoration. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Choose firm, tart cooking apples. Granny Smith holds its shape reliably; Braeburn gives a softer, rounder filling. Avoid mealy apples, which collapse before the lid finishes browning.
• •This formula uses apples so the quantity and timing are useful, but the source intends the construction for many fruits. Quarter and pit plums, slice pears, and leave gooseberries or berries whole. Omit the added water for juicy fruit and adjust only the sugar to its tartness.
• •Use all-butter pâte feuilletée and read the package label. Puff paste made with shortening or margarine lacks butter's flavor and leaves a waxy finish. We don't apologize for butter.
• •Do not extend the pâte brisée across the base of the dish. Its only job is to strap the rim and hold the puff lid; turning it into a full shell changes both the structure and the source method.
• •The source's raw cream means cold, unwhipped heavy cream, not unpasteurized dairy. It may replace the custard accompaniment: pour 1½ cups (360 ml / 360 g) into a sauceboat and serve it as it is.
• •Keep leftover tart covered in the refrigerator for up to three days, with the custard stored separately. Rewarm the tart at 325°F (165°C) for 12 to 15 minutes to restore the lid's crisp edge.

Advance Preparation

• •The pâte brisée can be made up to two days ahead and kept tightly wrapped in the refrigerator. Let it stand only until flexible enough to roll, keeping it distinctly cold.
• •The tart can be baked up to eight hours before serving. Leave it in its dish at cool room temperature, then rewarm at 325°F (165°C) for 12 to 15 minutes.
• •English Sauce (No. 2406) can be prepared a day ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. Stir it gently before transferring it to the sauceboat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 255g)