French apple tart

dough*:
300 g all-purpose flour
70 g powdered sugar (or caster sugar)
pinch of sea salt
pinch of grated tonka bean
200 g butter, room temperature
2 egg yolks 

apples:
300 g cleaned, thinly sliced apples
30 ml cognac or calvados or rhum
2 tbsp Demerara sugar
pinch of sea salt

frangipane:
100 g butter, room temperature
110 g light brown sugar
1/2 organic orange zest, finely grated
pinch of vanilla
2 small eggs, room temperature
110 g almond flour (can use hazelnut flour too)
1/5 tsp ginger powder
1/5 tsp cinnamon powder
pinch of caradmaom
pinch of salt


Prepare the dough. In a bowl, add flour, sugar, salt, and tonka bean. Add the butter and eggs, and knead just until incorporated and smooth (don’t over mix or it will be hard and not flaky). Wrap with cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Mix everything for the apples in a bowl and set aside. 

Prepare frangipane. Beat butter with sugar, zest, and vanilla in a bowl with a hand mixer until fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Add the egg and beat until smooth. Add almonds and salt and stir.

Heat oven to 200° C. Prepare a 23-24 cm tart pan. Roll out the pastry 2-3 mm thick.  Place in the pan and press the edges against the pan. Prick with a fork, line with parchment paper, and fill with baking beans. Blind bake for 20 minutes. Take out and remove the beans and the paper.

Lower the heat to 190° C. Spread with frangipane, arrange the apples, and place in the oven on the lowest rack for 25 minutes. Then transfer to the centre and bake for another 15 minutes until the frangipane and apples are golden. Remove, cool, and serve.