Tarte aux Pommes

Ingredients:

• 4 large apples


• 1 quantity sweet pastry


• 1 cinnamon stick


• Caster sugar

Method:

• Prep your pastry and place in fridge to chill until needed


• Peel and core the apples


• Dice two apples, slice the others nice and thinly


• Cook the diced apple down in a saucepan with a drop of water and the cinnamon stick until softened


• Remove cinnamon stick and any excess fluid (they want to be soft, not soggy)


• Line your tart case with the pastry


• Cover with the softened apple


• Starting at the outer edge, lay the slices of apple in a neat spiral until the whole surface is covered


• Sprinkle liberally with caster sugar


• Pop in a medium oven (about 180) until the edges of the apple slices start to brown

What An Old Tart

Tarte aux Pommes is an old standard around here and as such, subject to variations according to personal taste/tradition.  There are those who make it with crème patissière, those who glaze it etc etc. I have evolved a simple, straightforward recipe which we enjoy.  Pretty much all one looks for in an everyday dessert, I would say.  The main reason I made it the other day was because the apples in the fruit bowl needed using up.  I have a sneaking suspicion that my nearest and dearest are deliberately leaving the 'boring' frsh fruit until I give in and make a sugary dessert out of them. Well played, family, well played.