Apple Tart

Don't you love it when those last minute, spur of the moment desserts turn out so wonderfully? When you throw a bunch of ingredients together in a flurry (with a bit of time dedicated to aesthetic purposes, of course) and they mix and mingle to create something delicious? I do.

Every Tuesday our village has their weekly market where they sell local cheese, cakes, fruits & vegetables, honey, paella (we're really close to the border!) among many other delights. Every few weeks I go up there to the same stall to buy my 5 kg bag of apples. Hey, it's a good deal okay? And yes, I really like apples (my roommate is not such a big fan, and I usually eat most of the bag myself). I would say they're the most versatile fruit. The possibilities with apples are endless!

So during the weekend before my last week of work at the high school my friend hosted a little soiree. They had the dinner planned, but wait, no dessert? Well that simply wouldn't do, so I said I'd make something... and with my 5 kg bag of apples in the corner I quickly decided on an apple tart.

I made it that evening just before we went over for dinner, and the smell that filled the kitchen was incredible. I would make this tart again just for the scent.

I passed the slices around after the main course. They were very well received, and quickly devoured.

It is the simplicity of this tart that makes it so good. Apples and cinnamon are just a match made in heaven.

Apple Tart

Ingredients:

1 sheet of puff pastry
3-4 medium apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 lemon
1/2 cup apple sauce / apple compote
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F

Lay the sheet of puff pastry over a 23 cm circular baking tray.

Squeeze the juice of half a lemon and toss the apple slices in it in a large bowl. Next toss them in the flour to coat them evenly.

In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Save about 1 tbsp of this mixture, and toss the apples in the rest of it to evenly coat.

Press the pastry into the baking tray so it covers it evenly (it is fine if it hangs over the edge). Spread the base of the pastry with the apple sauce/compote.

Arrange the apple slices around over the pastry until you are happy with the look. Sprinkle the apples with the remaining sugar-spice mixture.

Fold any remaining pastry down along the edges.

Bake at 180C / 350F for 15-25 minutes or until the pastry has lightly browned and the apples are bubbling.