Geraldene Holt

Tarte aux Pommes à la Clyst William

Clyst William Apple Tart

Preparation info

  • Serves

    6

    .

    • Difficulty

      Medium

Appears in

French Country Kitchen

French Country Kitchen

By Geraldene Holt

Published 1987

  • About

Although first baked in Devon using our own apples, this tart is obviously a variation on many delicious French ones. Properly golden Golden Delicious apples, honey tasting, their skins slightly shrivelled, are excellent in pies and tarts.

Ingredients

Pastry

  • 140 g(5 oz) flour
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
  • a pinch of salt
  • 70 g(2½ oz) butter
  • 1 egg yolk

    Method

    Sift the flour, sugar and salt into a bowl, and rub in the butter. Mix to a dough with the egg yolk and 2–3 tablespoons ice-cold water. If the pastry is still very cold roll out to line a greased 20–23 cm (9 in) pie dish about 5 cm(2 in) deep. Otherwise chill the pastry first.

    Crimp the edges of the pastry and spread three quarters of the breadcrumbs in the base. Cover with the peeled and sliced apple sprinkled with the sugar.

    Mix the cream with the eggs and vanilla essence and pour over the apples. Sprinkle the remaining breadcrumbs on top.

    Bake in a moderately hot oven (Mark 6, 200°C, 400°F) for 20 minutes, and then lower the heat to Mark 4 (180°C, 350°F) for 10–15 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the custard is set.