With the fab variety of apples out right now, this is an easy dessert to whip up when you want to incorporate a little apple goodness into your meal. First off, I am not a baker. I am more of a composed dessert type of fellow, so know that this must be a truly easy recipe. I promise. I am, however, a big fan of the puff pastry sheets that you find in the freezer section at the grocery store. Pepperidge Farm is the one I see and use most often, but any maker will do. This is a spin on an Ina dessert I saw her make on her show. You know we love Ina at WK, so if she makes a version of this, you know it is pretty tasty. These are also some of my favorite sweets when we are in Paris, so I really wanted to try and recreate them. Here we go.
This makes 4 individual tarts. Defrost one sheet of the puff pastry according to the instructions on the box. My biggest advice is just make sure it stays cold and does not warm up to much as it then becomes hard to work with. Cut the sheet into 4 equal parts and lay on a parchment lined baking sheet. A word about parchment paper. I love the stuff. Pick up a roll the next time you are grocery shopping and are strolling down the baking goods aisle. A roll lasts forever, and you will be surprised how often you end up using it. In a pinch, it also makes a simple wrapping paper. Back to the recipe. Peel 2 of your favorite apples, then cut into fairly thick slices. Overlap the slices a bit on each piece of puff pastry, filling the space but leaving a bit of a border. Sprinkle apples with sugar and dot with tiny cold cubes of butter. These 2 ingredients will do magic once baked. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden.
While the tarts are baking, in a small pan add peach or apricot jelly with a bit of Cognac or Calvados and mix together. This will create the glaze. Remove any fruit chunks that might be in the jam or jelly. You want the glaze to be fairly smooth. Heat mixture on the stove top to warm. Brush the entire tart with the glaze once the tarts are out of the oven. Done. Super simple. You will feel like a French baker when you are done with these.
