Apple Financier Tart Recipes

APPLE FINANCIER TART

Steps:

• Make the financier batter: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the butter until it begins to brown and has a nutty fragrance, about three minutes. Set aside to cool. Put the slivered almonds in a food processor and process until finely ground, about 45 seconds. Transfer the ground almonds to a medium bowl. Sift the confectioners' sugar over the almonds. Add the flour, cornstarch, and salt and gently whist to combine. Combine the egg whites, honey, cooled browned butter, and cream in another medium bowl. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean (reserve the pod for another use) into the bowl and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined. Set aside.
• Make the apple filling: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until it is golden brown and fragment, about five minutes. Add to the diced apples and honey and cook, stirring occasionally, for two minutes or until the apples are slightly softened. Add the Calvados to the skillet, carefully light it with a match, and cook until the flame dies. Drain the apples in a strainer set over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid. Stir the reserved liquid back into the diced apples. Pour the apple mixture into the tart shell and spread it into an even layer. Scrape the financier batter over the apples, covering them completely. Bake the tart for 40 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place the tart on a wire rack.
• Glaze the tart: Put the honey in a heatproof glass measure and microwave on high for 10 to 15 seconds, until hot. (Or, heat in a small saucepan.) Brush the honey over the top of the hot tart. Cool the tart completely before serving.

CHEF FRANCOIS PAYARD'S APPLE AND HONEY FINANCIER TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the butter until it begins to brown and has a nutty fragrance, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Put the slivered almonds in a food processor and process until finely ground, about 45 seconds. Transfer the ground almonds to a medium bowl. Sift the confectioners sugar over the almonds. Add the flour, cornstarch, and salt, and gently whisk to combine.
• Combine the cooled browned butter, cream, honey, and egg whites in another medium bowl. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean (reserve the pod for another use) into the bowl and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined. Set aside.
• Sift together the flour, confectioners sugar, and salt into a bowl.
• Place the butter in a food processor and process until smooth, about 15 seconds. Scatter the flour mixture over the butter, add the egg, and process just until the dough forms a mass; do not over-mix. Turn the dough out onto the counter and divide it in two. Shape each half into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. Half of the dough may be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 1 month.
• Let the dough stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to soften. Lightly butter two 9½-inch fluted tart pans with removable bottoms.
• Dust a work surface lightly with flour. Dust one of the discs lightly with flour and, using a floured rolling pin, roll it out into a roughly 12-inch circle. Lift the dough often, making sure that the work surface and dough are lightly floured at all times. Roll the dough up onto the rolling pin and gently unroll it over one of the prepared tart pans. Press the dough into the pan and roll the pin over the top of the pan to remove the excess dough. Prick the bottom of the tart shell all over with a fork. Chill the tart shell for 20 minutes. (The tart shell can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter a pieces of aluminum foil large enough to generously line the tart pan. Line the tart shell with the foil, buttered-side down, and fill with dried beans, rice, or pie weights.
• Bake the tart shell for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and beans and continue baking for 8 to 10 minutes longer, until evenly golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the diced apples, honey, and calvados, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Carefully light it with a match, and cook until the flame dies. Drain the apples in a strainer set over a bowl, reserving ¼ cup of the cooking liquid. Stir the reserved liquid back into the diced apples.
• Pour the apple mixture into the tart shell and spread in an even layer. Scrape the financier batter over the apples, covering them completely.
• Bake the tart until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Place the tart on a wire rack.
• Put the honey in a heatproof glass measure and microwave on high until hot, 10 to 15 seconds. (Or, heat in a small saucepan.) Brush the honey over the top of the hot tart. Cool the tart completely before serving.

FRENCH APPLE TART

Steps:

• For the pastry, rub the butter into the flour, sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl until crumbly. Mix in the egg until it forms a dough, then form into a puck shape. Cover and chill for at least 30 mins. Will keep chilled for two days.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to roughly the thickness of a £1 coin, and use to line a 23cm fluted tart tin, leaving some overhanging. Line with a disc of baking parchment big enough to cover the edges, and fill with some baking beans to weigh it down (use dried rice or lentils if you don't have baking beans). Bake for 15 mins, then remove the parchment and beans and bake for 10-15 mins more until the pastry is biscuity. Trim away any overhanging pastry with a serrated knife. Set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, set aside four of the apples, then peel, core and roughly chop the rest. Put them in a shallow saucepan with 2 tbsp water, all but 1 tbsp of the sugar and the alcohol, if using. Cover and cook over a low heat for 25-30 mins, stirring occasionally and adding more water if needed, until the apples have collapsed into a purée. Taste the mixture and sweeten with more sugar, if needed.
• Turn the oven up to 210C/190C fan/gas 8. Peel, core and halve the reserved apples, then cut into even-sized slices. Spread the apple purée over the base of the tart case, then arrange the apple slices in neat, concentric circles, starting from the outside. Brush the apples with butter, then scatter over the reserved sugar and bake for another 20-25 mins until golden.
• Mix the jam with 1 tbsp hot water from a freshly boiled kettle. When the tart has finished baking, glaze generously with the jam, then leave to cool a little. Serve warm or cold, dusted with icing sugar, if you like.