Fine Apple Tart with Almond Cream

How to prepare fine apple tart with almond cream

1. Cut 3 discs of approximately 14 cm diameter from the puff pastry. Prick all over with a fork and refrigerate until you prepare the rest.
2. Cream: Beat the butter with powdered sugar (if using vanilla powdered sugar, don't add vanilla bean) and the inside of the vanilla bean with a mixer until creamy (about 3 minutes). Add the beaten egg in a thin stream, mixing continuously until incorporated. Add the brandy and then the ground almonds and mix until incorporated. Finally, incorporate the flour. You'll get a thick almond cream that holds on a spoon.
3. Apples: Peel the apples and remove the cores with a special corer. Cut in half and place cut-side down on the work surface. Slice the apples.
4. In a pan, melt the butter with the sugar and add the apple slices. Sauté, stirring often, until the apples are soft (between 5 and 10 minutes). If you want to caramelize them, you can leave them longer, until they start to darken in color. Add the brandy and simmer on low heat until the sauce in the pan looks like a syrup (it doesn't take long, about 1-2 minutes). Remove the apples to a plate, leaving the sauce in the pan.
5. Preheat the oven to 190°C and leave the tray in the oven to get hot when you place the tarts. I've noticed that if I put the tarts on a hot tray, the area under the filling bakes better.
6. Place each piece of dough on parchment paper. Roll the edge of each disc inward and press all around with the tines of a fork.
8. In the middle, place 1/3 of the almond cream. If you wish, you can put the cream in a pastry bag—this way you'll portion the cream more easily and evenly. Start from the center and make concentric circles until you reach the edge.
9. Arrange apple slices on top (in a fan or circular pattern), overlapping them slightly. Using the paper underneath, move the tarts to the hot tray.
10. Bake the tarts for about 20-25 minutes, until the edge is puffed and golden. Remove the tarts from the oven and brush with the sauce from the pan (reheat it if necessary).
11. Serve the tarts warm or at room temperature. They're delicious with vanilla sauce or a scoop of ice cream.

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