On Day One, we began with the Jackie O of French patisserie - Tartes aux Pommes. This tart can be found across Paris in nearly every pastry shop, both good and...not so good. But done well it's exquisite. Similar to really, really well done pie - everyone loves it for it's buttery crust, and simple homey apples.
As classic as it gets, this tart combines the tender, yet slightly crisp, lightly sweetened and ultra buttery Pate Sucree, then sports a chunky apple compote, and is finished it with thinly sliced apples, melted butter, and a sprinkling of vanilla sugar. The apples caramelize as the tart bakes, and the result is a wonderfully tender apple, but with a deep flavor that highlights the quality of the fruit.
(And a little disclaimer - in a kitchen with 8 members - yes! only 8 people in my class - two students are designated to bake for the day, shuffling sheet trays in and out of the oven, so as to prevent the doors from being opened constantly, as students check for doneness, preventing the oven from reaching proper temperatures. So, this tart was not rotated halfway through the baking, and as a result, appears only caramelized on one half. But, under other circumstances, the whole tart would exude that gorgeous color.)
Cheers.
No comments:
Post a Comment