The APPLE TART is a classic of home baking, a dessert that smells of butter, sugar and freshly baked fruit. A base of crumbly, golden shortcrust pastry holds a soft, enveloping apple filling that becomes juicy, slightly caramelized and irresistibly fragrant in the oven.
The contrast between the crispiness of the pastry and the tender texture of the apples creates a perfect textural balance. The apples, sliced thinly or cut into regular wedges, can be arranged in a rosette for an elegant and orderly effect, or laid out more rusticly for a version with an authentic, homely flavor. A light sprinkle of brown sugar on top helps form a delicate golden crust.
The scent of cinnamon, lemon zest or a hint of vanilla enhances the natural sweetness of the fruit, making every warm slice comforting. Served warm, perhaps with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a glaze of apricot jam brushed on top to give it shine, the apple tart becomes a refined dessert while keeping its simple soul.
It is the perfect treat for breakfast, an afternoon snack or a light dessert, capable of evoking childhood memories and convivial moments. A timeless recipe that always wins thanks to its genuineness and authentic taste.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking time: 35 Minutes
- Portions: 6 People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 492.50 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 83.03 (g) of which sugars 45.42 (g)
- Proteins 6.68 (g)
- Fat 16.75 (g) of which saturated 10.49 (g)of which unsaturated 5.94 (g)
- Fibers 2.32 (g)
- Sodium 95.62 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (00 flour)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 7 tbsps butter (cold, cut into pieces (about 100 g))
- 1 egg (medium, at room temperature)
- lemon zest
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 Golden apples (or 4 Annurca apples)
- 2 tbsps sugar
- lemon juice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cups apricot jam (about 100 g)
- 1 tbsp apricot jam (for glazing)
- 1 tbsp water
For the apple tart you will need
- 2 Bowls
- 1 Tart pan 8 in
- 1 Pastry board
- 1 Rolling pin
- Plastic wrap
- 1 Small saucepan
- 1 Pastry brush
Steps
In a bowl place the flour, cold butter cut into pieces, the sugar, the salt and the lemon zest. Work everything together until you obtain a sandy, crumbly texture.
Add the egg and mix quickly until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous dough. Shape it into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.Roll out the pastry to a thickness of about 1/8 in (3–4 mm) and line an 8 in tart pan.
Peel and thinly slice the apples. Toss them with the sugar, lemon and cinnamon.
Prick the base of the pastry with a fork and spread the apricot jam over it. Arrange the apples on the base in a rosette.
Bake in a preheated conventional/static oven at 356°F for 35–40 minutes until golden.Once baked, remove from the oven and let it cool slightly. To glaze and make it more attractive, heat 1 tbsp of apricot jam with 1 tbsp of water.
Strain it if it contains pieces and brush the still-warm tart.
Storage
It keeps for 2–3 days under a cake dome or well covered with plastic wrap.
Store in a cool, dry place away from heat sources.

