Most moder n recipes for apple pie require an ounce or two of sugar, but the earliest recipes didn’t. There are several possible reasons: Sugarcane imported from Egypt was not widely available in 14th century England, where it cost between one and two shillings a pound – roughly the equivalent of about $50 a pound in today’s prices.
Or, the absence of sugar in early recipes for apple pie may instead indicate that the medieval English did not have quite as sweet a tooth as their descendants. Perhaps, as in some modern “sugar-free” recipes, the juice of the fruit was intended to sweeten the pie. This open-faced tart is typically French.
The glaze will not only sweeten but will beautify the tart.
• 4 Granny Smith apples
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, small diced
• 1/2 cup apricot jam
• 1 rectangle of puff pastry
• 2 tablespoons Calvados, rum, or water
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Place the dough on the prepared sheet pan and refrigerate while you prepare the apples. Peel the apples and cut them in half through the stem. Remove the stems and cores with a sharp knife. Slice the apples crosswise in 1/4-inch thick slices. Place overlapping slices of apples diagonally down the middle of the tart and continue making diagonal rows on both sides of the first row until the pastry is covered with apple slices (I don’t use the apple ends so as the arrangement looks even and delicious to the eye, but you are the chef). Sprinkle with the full 1/2 cup of sugar and dot with the butter … OR use the whole apple as I did in the photo and make individual tarts which are gorgeous too!
Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the pastry is browned and the edges of the apples start to brown. Rotate the pan during cooking. If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to let the air out. Don’t worry! The apple juices will burn in the pan but the tart will be grand! When the tart’s done, heat the apricot jam with the Calvados and brush the apples and the pastry completely with the mixture. Loosen the tart with a metal spatula so as it doesn’t stick to the paper. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.
Bon appétit!
Jean Doherty is the Chef and Owner of Le Patio Restaurant in Wilton Manors (954) 530-4641