Name: Free-Form Apple Tart
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Ingredients: 1 recipe recipe; 1 pound (454 grams) Granny Smith apples , peeled, cored, and sliced ¼ inch thick; 1 pound (454 grams) McIntosh apples , peeled, cored, and sliced ¼ inch thick; ½ cup (3½ ounces/99 grams) plus 1 tablespoon sugar , divided; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Why This Recipe Works

A mix of Granny Smith and McIntosh apples, sliced thin, gave us complex flavor, and just ½ cup of sugar, a bit of lemon juice, and a pinch of cinnamon perfected the filling. We stacked the apples in a ring and then filled the ring with yet more apples to give the finished tart a neater, fuller appearance than if we had just casually piled the apples in the center as we often do with galettes. Finally, we folded and pleated the edge of the dough around the apples before baking the tart until golden brown. To prevent the tart from leaking, it is crucial to leave a ½-inch-wide border of dough around the fruit.

Before You Begin

We like to serve this tart with Caramel Sauce.

Instructions

Roll dough into 12-inch circle between 2 large sheets of floured parchment paper. (If dough sticks to parchment, gently loosen dough with bench scraper and dust parchment with additional flour.) Slide dough, still between parchment, onto rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, 15 to 30 minutes.

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Toss apples, ½ cup sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon together in large bowl. Stack some apple slices into circular wall around dough, leaving 2½-inch border around edge. Fill in middle of tart with remaining apples. Fold outermost 2 inches of dough over fruit, pleating it every 2 to 3 inches as needed; be sure to leave ½-inch border of dough between fruit and edge of tart. Gently pinch pleated dough to secure, but do not press dough into fruit.

Brush top and sides of dough lightly with water and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake until crust is golden brown and apples are tender, about 1 hour, rotating sheet halfway through baking.

Let tart cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes. Using parchment, carefully slide tart onto wire rack and let tart cool until juices have thickened, about 25 minutes. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.