French pastries are some of the finest treats one can ever have. But do you need to be a pastry chef to make one at home? I think not! Sweet pastry crust for tarts is not difficult to make but it does add time to process. At the holidays we all seem to come up a bit short on time but that ‘s no reason to come up short on a sensational dessert that will please all your guests! Short cut to the rescue!

A classic French apple tart is little more than apples and pastry. Simple, yet so tasty and your kitchen smells like the holidays, even if it isn’t one. Sometimes a little help from the pastry elf is what is needed. Dash on over to the market and pick up some pre-made pastry dough, I prefer refrigerated over frozen, and start the pie making fun! If you have the time, absolutely go for the homemade shortbread crust. If not, I don’t think anyone will turn down a slice of this heavenly dessert. Don’t forget a scoop of Cinnamon Ice Cream on top!

French Apple Tart

Simple ingredients make for a light and flavorful dessert. There’s a reason why they make room fresheners called Apple Pie. Wait until these smells fill your kitchen! 

Place dough in an 9 1/2” tart pan with a removable bottom and trim edges. Chill dough in the refrigerator while you are prepping the apples.

Heat oven to 375º. Peel, cut and core the apples with a melon baller.  Love this little tool! It’s good for more than melons. I use a melon baller for so many things, even scooping up the filling for truffles before I roll them!

Working with one apple half at a time, thinly slice into sections, keeping slices together. Press sliced apple half gently to fan it out; repeat with remaining apple halves.

Place 1 fanned apple half on outer edge of the tart dough; repeat with 5 more apple halves. Overlap the apple slices around the exterior of the tart pan, leaving a whole in the middle. Separate remaining apple slices. Place the last 2 apple halves, fanned out, in the center of the pie.

This is the tricky part and takes practice to make it look professional. I will be practicing more! Even if your first try doesn’t come out like a pastry chef, it will still taste fantastic! 

Fill in any gaps with remaining apple bits. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, then dot with butter. Bake until golden brown, 60—70 minutes.

Heat apricot jam in microwave until warmed and loose adding water to thin the jam. Pour through a fine strainer into a small bowl and set aside.

Transfer tart to a wire rack; using a pastry brush, brush top of tart with jam. Let cool completely before slicing. Serve with whipped cream, French vanilla or Cinnamon Ice Cream. You MUST try the Cinnamon Ice Cream! It is incredible beyond words!