Looking for a dessert to impress your family on Christmas?
Here you go. This is the one. It’s got it all: tart apples, a creamy almond paste, and just the right amount of booze.
Calvados, the alcohol of choice in this recipe, is a French brandy produced mainly in the northern regions of France. Two years ago, during our trip to Normandy, we sampled quite a bit of it in it’s natural surroundings.
To drink Calvados correctly, put on your coziest winter sweater, light a fire, and snuggle up on your couch with your favorite person and/or pet. On the other hand, if you’re not into drinking at the moment, just bake Calvados into your dessert. You’ll get the subtle taste without the alcohol.
In addition to the calvados, what I love about this tart most is the almond paste layer that sits underneath the apples. To make it, you’ll puree together almonds, sugar, eggs, Calvados, vanilla extract, and some butter. After letting it chill in the fridge for a little bit, it’ll be the perfect consistency to spread into your rolled out dough.
Then, all you have to do is add the apples on top and sprinkle them with some butter and sugar.
You can serve this tart cooled, but I prefer it just slightly warm, with a nice cup of espresso, or more Calvados, if you’re feeling up for it.
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons Calvados, or other apple or pear brandy
- 1¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1¼ cup raw whole almonds
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoons Calvados, or other apple or pear brandy
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, at room temperature
- 3 tart green apples, peeled, quartered, cored, and cut into thin slices
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- In a small bowl, combine egg yolks and Calvados.
- In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture forms small clumps. With the machine running, add the egg yolk and Calvados mixture. The dough should start to form into large clumps.
- Turn off processor and gather dough into a ball. Flatten into a disk and wrap in plastic. Chill in refrigerator for about 1 hour (can be done a day ahead).
- Pulse almonds in food processor until they are almost completely broken down. Add sugar, eggs, Calvados, vanilla and almond extract, and salt. Blend until a soft paste forms. Add 4 tablespoons of butter and blend for about 10 seconds. Transfer to fridge.
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface and transfer to 11 inch tart pan. Trim excess dough from edges and press firmly to form sides.
- Spread almond paste into tart. Arrange apple slices on top of paste in concentric circles, starting with the outside.
- Melt remaining two tablespoons butter. Brush apple slices with butter and sprinkle brown sugar on top.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350F and bake for an additional 45 minutes.
- Let tart cool slightly before serving.
Recipe adapted from the October 1997 issue of Bon Appetit.
Ohhh YUM! I love LOVE LOVE Calvados :) I add it to my coq au vin! Have a great weekend!
writes mila furmanI should try it with coq au vin – great idea!
writes VickyYeah, definitely gonna need to try this one.
writes Beth Roman