Classic French Apple Tart Recipe — Authentic Tarte Tatin Style

French Apple Tart is a classic, elegant dessert featuring thin apple slices arranged over a crisp, buttery pastry base. The tart is lightly sweet, aromatic with cinnamon, and finished with a glossy apricot glaze. It makes a lovely finish to a meal or a refined accompaniment to tea or coffee.

This French Apple Tart recipe is simple, attractive and reliable. Often served chilled or at room temperature, these tarts are commonly found in patisseries across Europe. You can prepare one large tart or divide the filling into smaller individual tartlets — either way you’ll end up with a beautiful, shareable dessert. Recipe by Adelenne Lee.

If you prefer to make your own pastry, use a classic shortcrust recipe and add 2 tablespoons sugar to the flour for a slightly sweet shell. For homemade apple sauce, two apples will make about the amount required for this tart.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Butter an 8–9 inch tart tin.
If using homemade pastry: roll out the dough and line the tin, trimming the edges. Prick the base with a fork. Line with parchment or foil, add pie weights or dried beans and blind-bake for 20 minutes. Remove the weights and continue baking for another 8–10 minutes if the base still looks pale. Allow the shell to cool completely before assembling.

2. While the shell bakes, combine the apple slices, sugar and cinnamon in a pan over medium heat. Cook for 3–5 minutes just until the apples begin to soften but still hold their shape. Remove from the heat and let the apples cool.

3. Brush the cooled pastry base with the diluted apricot jam to give a thin protective glaze. Spread the applesauce evenly across the base, then arrange the cooled apple slices on top in concentric circles, overlapping them for a classic look.

4. Bake the assembled tart at 180°C (350°F) for 25–30 minutes, or until the apples are tender. For a deeper caramelized edge, brush the apples with more apricot glaze and place the tart back in the oven at 240°C (475°F) for 4–5 minutes, watching closely so the apples don’t burn. Remove and brush again with glaze to finish.

Allow the tart to cool completely before slicing. Serve on its own or with whipped cream, crème fraîche or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

We’d love to hear your feedback. Did you adapt the recipe or add other ingredients? Leave a comment to share your version. Thanks for reading and happy baking!

Notes and Variations

– Apples: Granny Smiths give a tart, balanced flavour, but you can use a mix of apple varieties (e.g., Braeburn, Honeycrisp) for additional sweetness and texture.
– Spice: Swap or add a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom for a different aromatic profile.
– Applesauce: Use smooth or slightly chunky applesauce depending on the texture you prefer. Homemade applesauce gives fresher flavor.
– Individual tarts: Divide the filling among mini tart tins and reduce baking time slightly; check for tender apples and a golden edge.

Nutrition (approximate per serving)

Calories: 229; Total Fat: 8g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Sodium: 126mg; Carbohydrates: 39g; Fiber: 3g; Sugar: 20g; Protein: 2g. Nutrition estimates will vary with the pastry and exact ingredients used.

French Apple Tart

Yield:
6

Prep Time:
15 minutes

Cook Time:
30 minutes

Total Time:
45 minutes

French Apple Tart: crisp pastry, soft cinnamon apples and a glossy apricot finish — an elegant and simple dessert.

Ingredients

• 1 ready-baked or store-bought 9-inch pie crust
• 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
• 2 tablespoons caster or regular sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 & 1/4 cups applesauce
• 1/4 cup apricot jam mixed with 1 tablespoon hot water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F. Butter an 8–9 inch tart tin. Blind-bake the pastry if making your own, removing pie weights after the initial 20 minutes and baking until the base is lightly golden. Cool.
2. Cook apple slices with sugar and cinnamon for 3–5 minutes until slightly softened; cool.
3. Brush the cooled tart shell with the diluted apricot jam. Spread applesauce evenly in the shell, then arrange the cooled apple slices on top.
4. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 25–30 minutes until apples are tender. For a more caramelized finish, brush with additional apricot glaze and briefly roast at a higher temperature for a few minutes, then glaze again. Cool completely before slicing.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 229Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 126mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 3gSugar: 20gProtein: 2g

Nutrition information is approximate and will vary by ingredients used.