Venturing through this book, I found the recipe for "Tartelettes aux Pommes Elysee," or Elysee Apple Tartlets in English. Though these are supposed to be personal sized, I made this recipe as a large tart instead since I was serving it as dessert at family dinner.
All I can say is that it was absolutely delicious. Read the directions thoroughly, and plan ahead a little to take time in the preparation of the tart. Afterall, presentation is everything. Bon appetit!
For the sweet almond pastry (tartlet shells)
1/2 cup butter, very cold
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup ground almonds (almond flour)
1 pinch of fleur de sel (or another course sea salt)
1 pinch of vanilla powder (or a couple drops of vanilla extract)
1 egg
1 2/3 cups cake flour
Diced Cinnamon Apples
1/2 cup golden seedless raisins
26 1/2 oz apples (Jonagold is preferred)
4 tbsp butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 pinch of ground cinnamon
Baked Apple Slices
About 2 lbs of Jonagold apples
4 tbsp butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup slivered or sliced almonds
For the pastry:
1. Sift the confectioner's sugar. Cut the butter into small pieces and place in a bowl. (Or if you have a stand mixer, place in the bowl of the mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.) Work the butter to homogenize and then add the following ingredients, one by one, making sure to fully incorporate each into the mixture before the next addition: sifted confectioners' sugar, ground almonds, fleur de sel, vanilla, egg, and flour. Combine the ingredients just until the dough comes together ; do not overwork! This will give the pastry its desired crumbly texture.
2. Form the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours before using. If possible, it's better to prepare the dough one day ahead; it will be easier to roll out. Tip: this recipe will make more than enough dough, but the proportions rely on the single egg. It is not recommended to cut this recipe in half- if you do not use all the dough for this recipe you can refrigerate for up to 5 days for another purpose.
3. Once chilled, butter the tartlet pans. On a floured work surface, roll out the dough to 1/10 inch. Using a round pastry cutter or small bowl, cut out 8 disks with a diameter of approximately 5 inches and press into buttered pans. Refrigerate for 1 hour. (Note: Since I used a large tart pan, I rolled my dough out inside the pan and continued to press into edges).
For the Diced Cinnamon Apples:
4. Place raisins in a bowl covered with hot water and allow to soak for approximately 30 minutes. Meanwhile, peel, core, and dice the apples. Melt the butter in a skillet and add the diced apple to sear, then add the sugar and cinnamon. As soon as the apples are golden, remove from the heat. Important: they should be cooked, but still firm. Allow to cool. Drain raisins and fold into apples.
Baked Apple Slices:
5. Preheat oven to 350 degree fahrenheit Peel, core, and halve the apples. Cut again into either 4 or 5 slices depending on their size. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Using a pastry brush, butter the apple slices. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The apples should remain firm after cooking.
Tartlet Shells and Assembly:
6. Preheat the oven to 340 degree fahrenheit Remove tartlet shells from the refrigerator. Using a fork, prick the surface of the dough to keep from puffing up during baking. Fit a round piece of parchment paper over the dough, carefully pressing into the corners and working up the sides so it will stay in place in the oven. Place dried beans or pie weights on top. Bake approximately 20 minutes, until lightly colored.
7. Take tartlet shells out of the oven and remove dried beans and parchment paper. Allow to cool. If the pastry is still pale, return to the oven uncovered just long enough to finish baking and to color slightly.
8. FIll the cooled tartlet shells with the diced apples and arrange the baked apple slices in a decorative pattern on top. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve. When serving, sprinkle with toasted almonds.
