Apple Tart

Ingredients:

Pastry -
230g plain flour
130g butter (chilled and cubed)
50g icing sugar
3/4 of an egg yolk
2 tbsp milk
1 egg yolk (for egg washing pastry)

Frangipane -
140g ground almond
140g eggs (shelled weight)
140g butter (room temperature)
140g caster sugar

Apple roses -
12 apples (different coloured skins)
2 lemon (juice only)

Directions:

First make the pastry. Rub in the butter to the flour to resemble fine breadcrumbs. Sift in the icing sugar and combine. Add the egg yolk and the milk and mix until just combined to form a dough. Flatten out to a large disc and wrap in clingfilm then rest in the fridge for at least an hour. Roll out between 2 sheets of baking paper until approximately 3mm thick. Line a loose bottomed baking tin (in this picture I have used a 22 cm square). Leave a little of the pastry hanging over the edges and keep the remaining pastry for decorative purposes. Place the lined tin back in the fridge for at least another 30 minutes. Pre heat the oven to 180 fan. Prick the prepared pastry all over with a fork to prevent any lifting. Line the pastry with baking paper and fill with baking beans. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the beans and lift the paper carefully. Return to the oven for a further 5 minutes. Remove once more and add a couple of drops of boiling water to the egg yolk saved for for washing the pastry. Brush the eggwash over the base and sides of the pastry and return to the oven until golden brown and crisp.
Remove and leave to cool completely in the tin. Trim of any excess.

Now make your frangipane. Cream the sugar and butter togther until pale and fluffy. Add one egg at a time then alternating with the ground almonds add until the mixture is combined evenly.
Fill the pastry case with the frangipane. It needs to be filled 3/4 of the way up. You may have some left over.
Now core, half and slice your apples. I do mine in batches of 4 to help prevent over browning. Fill a large microwaveable bowl with cold water and squeeze in a generous amount of lemon juice. Core the apples, halve vertically then slice across the apples on a mandolin to 1mm thickness (or slice by hand) place straight in to the water. When all the apples are sliced place into the microwave and cook on full power for 3 minutes. This will soften the flesh so they can be shaped easily. If they are cracking simply place back into the microwave for a further 30 seconds or more until the are softened and pliable then drain off the water. Take 8 slices of apple at a time and lay them out on top of a towel with the skin facing away from you. They need to overlap by about a half of the width. Now roll one end and gently manipulate the apple slices in to a complete roll. Place skin side up in to the frangipane and spread out to get the petal effect of a rose. Repeat until all of the frangipane is covered with apple roses. Gaps can be filled with single slices tightly rolled or swirled in between, it really is a case of being as artistic as you wish.

With the remaining pastry, roll out and cut with leaf cutters (or any of your choice) and lay around the tart for added decoration.

Re-heat the oven to 160 fan and bake until the frangipane is cooked. This time depends on the tin size and how deeply it has been filled. The best way to check this is to place a skewer in to the middle and if it comes out clean, it is ready, approximately 45-60 minutes.

Keep an eye on the tart as the fine slices of apple may catch before the tart is cooked through. Simply place a piece of tin foil over the surface towards the end of cooking if too much colour is being taken.
Allow to cool completely before slicing.

This can be re-warmed for serving or simply served cold. Both ways are equally delicious.