The world's easiest apple tart is French – and it even comes with a fancy name: Tarte Fine aux Pommes. Just 4 ingredients, 12 minutes of effort, and a dessert that looks like it came from a Parisian patisserie.
There's something wonderfully elegant about a French Apple Tart. Thin, overlapping slices of apple arranged on a buttery puff pastry base, baked until golden and caramelised. It's rustic, it's chic, and it's ridiculously easy. This is the dessert that proves you don't need complicated techniques to impress – just good ingredients and a little bit of love.
This recipe comes from a French chef trained in Michelin-starred kitchens, yet it calls for just store-bought puff pastry, apples, butter, and sugar. The sugar on the underside of the pastry creates an extra-crispy, caramelised base, while the apples soften and sweeten as they bake. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and you have a dessert that's pure perfection.[reference:0][reference:1]
🍎 Ingredients
- 1 sheet all-butter puff pastry (approx. 25cm / 10″ square), thawed[reference:2]
- 2–3 medium apples (Gala, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, or Fuji)[reference:3]
- 5 tsp caster sugar (plus extra for sprinkling)[reference:4]
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted[reference:5]
- Optional: ½ tsp ground cinnamon (mix with sugar)[reference:6]
- For serving: Icing sugar, vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche
👩🍳 Step‑by‑Step Instructions
- Preheat the tray: Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 200°C (400°F). Heating the tray first helps crisp up the underside of the tart.[reference:7]
- Prepare the apples: Peel the apples if desired (the skin is optional). Cut them in half, remove the core, and slice thinly – about 0.5cm (0.2″) thick. Keep the slices together as you cut to make fanning them out easier.[reference:8]
- Sugar the base: Sprinkle 3 teaspoons of sugar onto a sheet of baking paper. Place the thawed puff pastry sheet on top – the sugar will stick to the underside. This caramelises as it bakes, creating an extra-crispy base.[reference:9]
- Fold the edges: Fold in the edges of the pastry to form a rustic rim – about 1cm (½″) all the way around. No need to use egg wash to seal.[reference:10]
- Top with apples: Arrange the apple slices over the pastry in overlapping rows – three rows work well for a standard square. Fan them out slightly for a beautiful, professional look.[reference:11]
- Butter and sugar: Brush the apples and the pastry edges with the melted butter. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar (and cinnamon if using).[reference:12]
- Bake: Transfer the tart (still on the baking paper) onto the preheated hot tray. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the edges are deep golden and the apple slices are lightly browned.[reference:13]
- Serve: Dust with icing sugar and serve warm with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of crème fraîche.[reference:14]
💡 Pro tip: For the crispiest base, use all-butter puff pastry – it tastes significantly better than pastry made with oil. And don't skip the sugar on the underside – it's the secret to that irresistible caramelised crunch![reference:15]
❓ Tips & Variations
- Apple choice: Any eating apple works – Gala for sweet-tart balance, Granny Smith for tartness, Pink Lady for crisp sweet-tart, or Fuji for extra sweetness. The tart isn't in the oven long enough for apple variety to matter much.[reference:16]
- Make it your own: Add a sprinkle of chopped pistachios or almonds before baking for a Middle Eastern twist.[reference:17]
- No baking paper? You can use a lightly greased baking sheet, but the sugar-on-paper method gives the best caramelised base.
- Storage: This tart is best enjoyed fresh and warm, but leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven to restore crispness.
- Serving ideas: Pair with dulce de leche for a Latin American twist, or rum raisin ice cream for a Caribbean feel.[reference:18]
Buttery puff pastry, caramelised apples, and a dusting of sugar – the taste of Paris in every bite.
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