Apple Frangipane Tart

Frangipane means almond cream and this tart combines buttery pastry with a sweet almond cream and lightly sweetened apples!

This tart does not use a tart pan for baking!
The folding is done by hand so it gives a rustic look once baked!

Ingredients for making the pie crust:
All purpose flour or maida-1 and 1/4 cup or 175 gms,
White granulated sugar ( powdered )-1 tbsp,
Salted butter-100gms -cold and cut into small cubes,
Ice cold water- 3tbsp.

Ingredients for frangipane ( almond cream):
Almonds-1/2 cup or 50 gms-chopped-keep aside some for sprinkling on top,
All purpose flour- or maida-1 tbsp,
Sugar-40 gms or 1/4 cup-( sugar crystals are big so I always grind it),
Salted butter-3 tbsp-room temperature,
Egg-1,
Vanilla essence-1/2 tsp.

Apple filling-  Golden delicious apples or any tart apples-5- large,
Brown sugar-1 to 2tbsp,
Almonds chopped- take out some almonds from 1/2 cup for sprinkling on top.

Method:
Frangipane:( almond cream)
Roast the almonds for 8 to 10 minutes in 180 C ( you can use almonds without roasting,but roasted enhances the flavour). 
Leave it to cool on wire rack.

Once cool roughly chop them-Keep aside few tbsp for sprinkling.

Place the chopped almond,sugar and flour in the grinder until finely ground.
Add egg,vanilla essence and butter and process until you have a smooth paste.

Transfer to a bowl,cover and refrigerate.

 Pie crust:
Sieve the flour and then measure it.
Place the flour and sugar and mix with wire whisk.

You can do this process in the food processor too.
Add the cold butter and process until the mixture resemble coarse meal ( 15 seconds in the food processor)
If not using food processor,use a potato crusher or just your fingers to crush the cold butter.

Add or pour 2 tbsp of cold ice water to the coarse meal.
Add 1 tbsp more until the pastry holds together when pinched.

Make a ball.

Take a cling film or plastic and place it on the counter.
Put the dough ball on it and press it into a small disc.
Wrap the disc and keep in the fridge for 1 hour or in the freezer for 15 minutes( until firm ).

Once chilled remove from fridge and place on a lightly floured surface.

Cover the top with the same cling film and with a rolling pin roll the dough into 12 inch circle.
While you are rolling the dough,keep lifting the dough so that it does not stick at the bottom ( roll like you make chapatis).Remove the cling film.

Fold half the pastry dough around the rolling pin( place the tray near the rolled dough ) and gently unroll it on the butter paper lined tray.

Cover with a cling film or plastic and place it in the fridge while you prepare the apples.

Pre heat oven to 375 F or 190 C
Apples- 5- depends on the size of the apples,but choose the large ones
Slice ,core and peel the apples into 1/4 inch thickness( slice the apples in half and then slice each half from both sides leaving the center core.

Then slice the center core, discarding  the hard core and seeds. Cut the big slices into half i.e 1/4 inch slices )

You can do it your way,just the thickness counts:)
Assemble tart:
Remove the chilled pastry crust from the fridge and spread frangipane evenly over the crust,leaving a 2 inch(border).

Arrange the apple slices,evenly over the frangipane layer in concentrically or free form,leaving a 2 inch border.

Fold the border of the pastry up and over the apples sealing any cracks.

Brush the pastry crust with butter or cream.
Sprinkle 1 or 2 tbsp of brown sugar depending on the tartness of the apples.
Sprinkle chopped almond over the apples.

Bake the tart for 60 minutes or until the apple are tender and the crust is lightly brown.
(The apples should be soft but not mushy when pierced with a knife)
Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.

Remove the tray by sliding the butter paper with the tart on wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.
Remove the tart from the butter paper while the tart is still warm.
It is very easy to remove the butter paper as it does not stick at the bottom.
You can transfer to the serving plate directly,but if it has to be cooled on wire rack ,then insert a wide plain plate or (the bottom of the tart pan) at the edge.

Once the tart is cooled completely,insert the plate to the bottom and transfer to the serving plate.

Serve warm or cool with vanilla icecream or whipped cream.
The sweetness of the almond cream and the tangy flavour of the apples is delicious!
Can be covered and kept in the fridge!