Tarte Normande Recipe - French Apple Tart with Custard
Tarte Normande recipe: Easy and delicious. Yummy apples baked in a flaky crust and topped with custard. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar the last few minutes.
For the dough: In a food processor place the flour, salt and unsalted butter. Pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add the iced water. Mix until the mixture forms a ball. Remove from food processor, dust with a little flour and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350'F.
Roll our the dough on a floured surface. The dough should measure about 10".
Place dough in a 10" tart pan with a removable bottom. I like to gently fold the dough and slice the removable bottom under the dough and drop it into the tart pan.
Peel apples and cut into thick slices (about ½"). Arrange in concentric circles around the dough.
To make the custard:
Beat two eggs, add vanilla, sour cream, and heavy cream. Whisk thoroughly and pour over the apples.
Bake for about 30 minutes, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and top with pieces of butter. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.
*You can also top it with toasted slivered almonds at this time.
To make sure it is done, insert a cake tester into the custard.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I make this tart crust dough in advance and freeze it? Yes, and there are a couple ways to do it. The first way would be to roll out the dough and press it into the tart pan. You can freeze this for up to three months wrapped in foil and then placed in a tightly sealed container or freezer bag. Remove the frozen tart shell from the freezer, fill then bake. Add about three minutes to the bake time if baking the tart shell from a frozen state. You don’t have to thaw the tart shell before filling and baking. The second way to freeze the dough is before it is rolled out and is still a flat disc. Wrap the disc with foil and seal it in a freezer bag or container. Thaw it out in the refrigerator for several hours before rolling it out and baking. For best results use the dough within three months.
How long can I store the finished tart? It is best to eat this tart fresh baked. It will last for 3 days in the refrigerator but the crust will start to get a bit softer. Wrap the tart with foil or plastic wrap while in the refrigerator.
Can I freeze the finished tart? No, since this tart contains dairy in the custard it does not freeze well. The texture of the dairy will not be good and it may separate when thawed.
Can I reheat the tart in the oven when taking it from the refrigerator? Yes, preheat the oven to 200°F and heat for 15-30 minutes until warm in the center. A smaller portion will take less time. If half of the tart is left, it will take less time to heat up the center. Take out your ice cream while you wait to get it soft for scooping.