Crostata di Mele con Frangipane
Apple Tart with Frangipane Layer

Prep time: 25 mins | Total time: 3 hours | Servings: 10

Ingredients

For the rich shortcrust

• 500g (1 lb) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 300g (10 oz) butter
• 200g (7 oz) sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• Zest of 1 untreated lemon

For the frangipane layer

• 100 g butter at room temperature
• 100 g icing sugar
• 100 g finely ground peeled almonds
• 30g flour
• 2 eggs

To top

• 4 apples, peeled, cored and sliced (squeeze a little lemon juice on them so they don’t oxidise)

Directions

For the shortcrust dough

• Line an ovenproof tart dish with baking paper.
• On a wooden work surface, mix together the flour, sugar and butter, cut into little pieces. Rub the butter into the flour and sugar, until it is com- pletely worked in. Work lightly so that the butter does not melt.
• Make a mound out of this mixture and make a well in the centre. Add the eggs yolks and lemon zest (careful not to grate the bitter pith in too!)
• Work the ingredients together, first with a fork, then with your hands, until you have a smooth, soft pastry dough.
• Wrap the pastry dough in clingfilm and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes (ideally 2 hours, especially in warm weather).

For the frangipane layer

• Mix together the ingredients, first the icing sugar and butter, then the remaining ingredients.

To assemble

• Roll out the pastry dough carefully onto greaseprof (parchment) paper and place in your tart dish. You should try and achieve a 1 cm (half-inch) thickness. If you have pastry left over, use to make delicious cookies!
• Spoon the frangipane mixture over the pastry.
• Arrange the apples on top.
• Cook in an oven preheated to 180°C/350°F for 35 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown.