This showstopping tart lets the apples do the talking — and despite its impressive appearance, it comes together with surprisingly little fuss.
The crust is a simple press-in-the-pan style (no rolling required), and a mandolin turns slicing into a quick, satisfying task. Once the crust is made and baked, you can focus on the fun part: making the beautiful rose pattern. For the prettiest results, reach for firm, tart apples with rosy or red skin — varieties like Honeycrisp, Empire, or Cortland work beautifully — and nestle the slices in vertically rather than laying them flat for that dramatic, layered look.
The tart is at its best the day it’s baked, though you can get ahead by preparing the shell a day early if you’d like to spread out the work. A pinch of cardamom adds a warm, unexpected note and a splash of cognac adds a rich depth. However you decide to make it your own, stick with a smooth apricot jam for the glaze — chunky preserves will give you an uneven finish, and this tart deserves better than that.
Careful, even cutting will yield the most picture-perfect results. Makes one 10″ round tart.
Ingredients – Crust
- 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2″ cubes
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 egg
Ingredients – Filling
- 6 apples, cored (not peeled) – red and/or pink skinned
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 2 Tbsp Calvados, rum or Cognac (optional)
- 1/2 cup apricot jelly or jam
Directions
- Add the sugar, salt and flours together. Gently cut in the butter pieces with your fingers or a pastry cutter until mixture is sandy. Add egg. Continue to knead until dough is formed. Shape into a disc, wrap in cling film and refrigerate at least an hour, until firm.
- Roll out dough on floured surface about 1/4″ thick and tuck into tart pan, neatly trimming the edges at the rim. Let rest in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prick the base of the shell gently with a fork. Using pie weights or dried beans on parchment paper, blind bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden. Let cool.
- While shell is baking, slice apples into 1/4″ pieces.
- Spread a thin layer of applesauce and optional liquor (mixed together) on tart shell. Starting at the outer edge, layer apple slices, overlapping them halfway, going in a concentric circle toward the center. Pack tightly and keep the slices as perpendicular to the base as possible.
- Bake another 15-20 minutes, until apples have softened.
- In a small saucepan or microwaveable bowl, heat jam/jelly until liquid. Strain if there are seeds or fruit pieces. Gently brush over tart.