Alice Waters’ best apple tart recipe — elegant, flavorful, and well worth making if you have a bounty of apples.
This is a simple, classic apple tart that’s adaptable and forgiving. It’s often credited to Alice Waters (and sometimes linked to Jacques Pépin), but regardless of origin, the result is tender, caramelized apples over a flaky pâte brisée. The recipe below was baked in a rectangular tart pan, so I doubled the dough to get the right thickness for that shape — feel free to use a standard round tart pan or make a free-form galette instead.
One of the strengths of this tart is its versatility. You can arrange the apple slices neatly for a refined look or overlap them more casually for a rustic appearance. Either way, the technique is straightforward: make a simple pastry dough, roll it thin, layer the apples, bake until the crust is deep golden, and finish with a syrup made from the reserved apple peels and cores.
Do not discard the peels and cores — they make a fragrant, natural glaze. While the tart bakes, simmer the trimmings with sugar and water until reduced to a syrup, then strain and brush over the warm tart for a glossy finish. Serve plain or with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Apple Tart Recipe
Alice Waters’ Apple Tart Recipe via Smitten Kitchen
This tart is forgiving and adaptable. You can prepare the dough ahead of time and assemble when ready to bake. Remember to save the apple peels and cores for the glaze.
15 minutes
1 hour 10 minutes
30 minutes
1 hour 55 minutes
Ingredients
Pastry Dough
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 3 1/2 tablespoons chilled water
Filling
- 2 pounds apples (Golden Delicious or another firm variety; Honeycrisp works well), peeled, cored (save peels and cores), and sliced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 5 tablespoons sugar
Glaze
- 1/2 cup sugar
Instructions
Make the dough: Sift the flour, sugar, and salt into a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and blend until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal (use a mixer or a pastry blender). Add the remaining butter and work until the largest pieces resemble peas.
Slowly add the chilled water, a little at a time, stirring until the dough just holds together. Toss with your hands, letting it fall through your fingers, until it becomes slightly ropy with some dry patches. If it remains too dry, add another tablespoon of water. When it holds together, form it into a ball, flatten to a 4-inch disk, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 14-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. For a rectangular pan, roll to a rectangle to fit the pan. Dust off excess flour with a dry pastry brush and transfer the dough to a lightly greased 9-inch round or a rectangular tart pan, or lay it on parchment if making a galette.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Assemble and bake: Arrange the apple slices in overlapping rings about 2 inches from the edge for a round tart, or in even columns for a rectangular pan. Continue inward until finished. Fold any excess dough over the edges and crimp at intervals if needed. Brush the apples and pastry edge with the melted butter. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar over the dough edge and the remaining 3 tablespoons across the apples (adjust to taste).
Bake in the center of the oven until the apples are tender, edges are browned, and the crust is a deep golden brown, about 45 minutes. Rotate the tart every 15 minutes for even browning.
Make the glaze: While the tart bakes, place the reserved apple peels and cores in a saucepan with 1/2 cup sugar and just enough water to cover. Simmer for about 25 minutes, then strain through cheesecloth to collect a clear syrup.
Remove the tart from the oven and let it cool for at least 15 minutes. Brush the warm tart with the reserved syrup for shine. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature, optionally with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.