Rustic French Apple Tart (Tarte aux Pommes)

This rustic French apple tart or tarte aux pommes is a classic French pastry recipe made with sliced apples baked inside.

A few years back my mother decided to plant a small orchard alongside the back portion of their country property. It is a beautiful edition of trees that line their yard. I love to walk through the grass barefoot through the rows and see all the pretty fruit hanging from the branches.

A recent visit yielded me a basket of beautiful pink lady apples that are the first to be sweet enough to eat. Oddly, in the midst of August, the sunshine turned to rain and I found myself standing in my kitchen with my hands in the dough listening to the rain pour from the gutters. An odd sound for August in California. But there I was slicing the freshly picked apples in the cool air with the kitchen window open.

I cut my go-to pie crust recipe in half and began arranging the apples in a sort of concentric circles starting in the center of the pastry dough and working my way outwards. This way the tart looks not only rustic but elegant at the same time. I found that the juices from the apples can become an issue when the tart is overly stuffed with apples and not properly tucked into the tart crust.

It is a good idea to use just enough apple slices to cover one layer within the walls of the tart crust. It will come out perfectly.

French Apple Tart Is…

• Delicious served warm or at room temperature.
• One of my favorite simple desserts to make for guests.
• Can be made with the tart shell recipe in this post or puff pastry if preferred.
• An easy French apple tart that uses simple ingredients.
• The best apple tart recipe for dinner parties or special occasions.
• The first dessert I make come harvest time at our apple orchard.
• A beautiful tart that has a similar taste to apple pie.

Origins of The French Apple Tart

If you were to google a French apple tart you might find these two variations of what appear to be similar desserts a “tarte Normande” and a “tarte aux pommes.” Both desserts are made with apples and a crust. And are indeed types of apple tarts. However, you will find the tart Normande has the addition of cream and many times sliced almonds. Perhaps even a bit of rum or Calvados.

Today we are making an even simpler version more known as the tarte aux pommes which is a shallow baked pastry filled with apple slices. This rustic variation has an apple pie taste with half the work and the need for much fewer apples.

Ingredients

Apples- use large apples and the best apples you can find. Make sure they are not overly ripe, you want them to hold their shape when baked.  I use granny smith apples often but if you don’t like tart apples use golden delicious apples, pink lady apples, or honey crisp which all work great apple recipes.

Flour- I use all-purpose flour for the tart crust. It creates a nice flakey crust.

Sugar- I use light brown sugar for this but dark brown sugar will also work for the apple filling. The hint of molasses in the sugar creates the perfect pairing for apples and cinnamon. I also use white sugar for dusting the tart just before baking.

Butter- I use salted butter for my tart and pie crust. But you can also use unsalted butter if you like. Just be sure to use a pinch of salt to the dough to help balance the flavors in the tart.

Cinnamon- The perfect warm spice to add to all apple desserts. Don’t skip it!

Vanilla Extract- I always use my homemade vanilla extract for baking but a good quality store-bought one will work great. Don’t use imitation.

Lemon Juice- Bottled or fresh squeezed is fine.

Tools You Might Need

Food Processor

Baking Sheet

Pastry Brush

Directions

Peel apples and slice them into thin wedges. About 1/8 inch thick. Place them into a bowl. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, melted butter, and vanilla. Mix contents well. Set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour and cold butter. Place lid on and remove pour spout cover. Begin pulsing and pouring in the cold water to blend. Mix until the dough just comes together.  Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Roll out with a rolling pin into a large rectangle about 8 inches wide. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the rolled-out pastry onto it and pop it into the fridge. Chill for 10 minutes.

When the dough is ready, begin in the center and lay out apple slices in neat rows. They don’t have to be perfect but lay them tightly so they all fit in the center leaving about 3 inches of dough around the edge.

Fold dough around the edges of the apples just slightly covering the beginning of the apples in the outside row. Brush dough with butter and sprinkle with sugar.

Pop into the oven and bake at 350℉ for 55 min-1 hr or until the crust is golden brown and the apples are cooked through.

Baking Notes

• Use just what you need to cover the center of the tart. Apples give off a lot of liquid and overstuffing the tart could ruin it. Or at least make it more of a mess than a dessert.
• I use unbleached organic all-purpose flour for this recipe.
• I opt to use salted butter for this recipe however if you would like to use unsalted. Be sure to add a pinch of salt to the apples and crust to help bring out the flavors in the tart.
• Be sure to pop the tart crust into the fridge to keep it chilled throughout the process of making this tart. After rolling it out.
• Make sure the butter is chilled before making your tart dough.

Ways To Serve

• Pairs wonderfully with coffee or tea.
• Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a true apple tart à la mode.
• I like to place a bowl of homemade whipped cream out when serving at a dinner party. To make homemade whipped cream pour 1 cup of heavy whipping cream into a mixer bowl along with 1 tbsp. of white sugar. Place whip attachment on and beat until peaks form. Scoop into a pretty bowl with a spoon and place it on the table next to the Rustic French Tart.

*Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions if you choose to purchase through the links I provide (at no cost to you).

Shop This Post

Cuisinart Food Processor

Baking Sheets Set of 2

Pastry Brush

Linen Apron

Pin For Later

More Recipes To Try…

• Fresh Peach Tart
• Easy Blueberry Tart
• Pumpkin Spice Cake with Buttercream Icing
• Old Fashioned Peach Cobbler

If you try this recipe and love it, I would appreciate you coming back to give it 5 stars!