This has got to be one of the best non-chocolate deserts out there.  This obviously implies I have a certain proclivity toward chocolate.  And probably caramel, toffee, fudge, and all those terribly sweet sugar laden deserts.  Tarte Normande makes a refreshing change from those.  Served with single cream, or creme fraiche, even vanilla ice cream, although I feel this is heading dangerously toward apple pie territory.  I digress, it is quite simply delicious.

Ingredients

3-4 Large Granny Smith apples, (or any tart apples) peeled cored, thinly sliced and sprinkled with lemon juice.

Cinnamon sugar, for sprinkling (maybe around 4 tablespoons sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon).

About 1/4 cup apricot jam and 2 tablespoons water, heated over low heat to make nappage.

Tart dough:

200 grams flour
pinch salt
100 grams butter
1 egg yolk
2-3 tablespoons cold water

For the frangipane:

100 grams butter
100 grams sugar
2 eggs
50 grams flour, sifted
75 grams ground almonds
Optional: 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

Method:

Step 1 Sift flour ad salt into a mixing bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add liquids and bring the mixture together to form a ball of pastry. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Step 2 Roll out the pastry into a circle large enough to line an 11" tart pan. Dock the bottom of the pastry case with a fork. Chill tart while oven is preheating to 400F (200C). Blind bake, using pie weights, (or dried beans) for around 10 - 12 minutes until a very pale gold on edges. Remove from oven and cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 360F -- ideally it should be between 350 and 375F.

Step 3 For the frangipane, cream the butter and the sugar together thoroughly. Stir in one egg at a time, allowing it to be absorbed thoroughly by the butter-sugar mixture. Fold in the flour, ground almonds. Stir in extracts if using.

Step 4 Spread the frangipane mixture evenly over the pastry case. Insert the apple slices vertically in the frangipane. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.

Step 5 Bake for around 30-35 minutes. Edges will be a deep golden brown, and the sugar-sprinkled apple slices will have caramelized. If adding almond slices on top, sprinkle them on the tart for the last 5 – 10 minutes of baking.

Step 6 Remove the tart from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Cool about 10 minutes, and brush with nappage (while both are still warm). Cool completely.

Step 7 Sprinkle icing sugar on top for decoration.

2. Fill your loose base flan tin with  your pastry.  Don't forget to prick  liberally with a fork.

2. Line the pastry with tin foil, then fill with  beans to prevent the base from rising as  it bakes.

2. Your base should look something like this after the blind bake.

3. While that is baking, whisk together your frangipane.

3. After everything is combined, it should look like this...

4. Spoon the frangipane into the pastry crust.  Slice your apples into segments.

4. Place the apple in concentric circles.

4. You might like to make the circles a little tighter than shown here...

6. Bake until the apple starts to turn a perfect golden brown,  cool for 10 minutes, then apply the nappage.

7. Finally apply a dusting of icing sugar.

Enjoy!