French Apple Tart ~ TWD

So pretty and delicious, too!

Well, here we are in January, and this is my first TWD post.  Most everyone else posted the Pizza with Onion Confit on January 8th.  I do plan on getting that one done but, it just wasn’t in the cards for me so close to the holidays. Besides, I had a refrigerator and freezer full of Christmas and New Years food. 

However, the stars aligned just right for the French Apple Tart, from contributing baker Leslie Mackie.  I was hosting my Bunco group for January and needed a dessert!  This was it…perfect in every way! The girls would love it!
The recipe suggests making it on the day you serve it, because it is best the same day you bake it.
Because I wanted to serve this tart at my bunco gathering, and I knew I would not have time on that Friday to prepare it, I chose to make my tart in stages.  First my crust, which I made it in the food processor. It saves so much time and, my crusts always come out great. I then refrigerated it for 30 minutes, rolled it out, placed it into the tart pan and again, refrigerated it overnight.  Then I prepared the baked apples.When they were done, I put them into a covered bowl and, refrigerated them overnight. 
The next day, I took the crust out of the refrigerator and baked it. I also nuked the apples, just to take the chill off them, and placed them into the baked crust. Now, onto the topping!  I peeled and cored three Granny Smith apples, sliced them thin, and mixed them with the lemon juice. Arranging them on the tart was fun, and also succeeded in making it look very attractive!  To prepare it for the oven, I  brushed the apples with melted butter, and sprinkled them with sugar. Finally, I baked it for about 30 minutes, until the apples appeared slightly browned.
This tart was not only impressive looking, but absolutely delicious! My Bunco group loved it! I know I will be making it again and again!

If you would like to see Leslie Mackie baking this tart with Julia you can find it here on YouTube.

Our host for the French Apple Tart is Gaye of Laws of the Kitchen, the recipe will be posted on her blog. You can also see what all the other bakers are doing at Tuesdays with Dorie.

Preparing the apples

Ready for the oven with butter, sugar, cinnamon and bread crumbs

Mashing the apples…mine weren’t very, very mushy….I loved the little chunks

Pie crust just out of fridge, fit it with parchment paper,  then put in pie weights and bake

Baked crust

The yummy filling

Arrainging the apple slices…this was fun!

Get ready to impress!

The Bunco ladies loved this one!

YUM!