Traditional Apple Tart

INGREDIENTS

• ½ Lemon, juice
• 6 Small Pink Lady Apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 250g Flour, plus extra for dusting
• 125g Butter
• 75g Caster Sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• 6 Tbsp. Cold Water
• 1 Small Free Range Egg, beaten
• Softly Whipped Cream, to serve

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/320°F/Gas Mark 3 and grease a 23cm ovenproof plate.
2. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into a bowl. Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples, then toss them in the lemon juice. Set aside while you make the pastry.
3. Place the flour in a large bowl, rub in the butter, and toss through 25g of the sugar. Add six tablespoons of cold water and bring the mixture together using a cold knife to create a soft dough.
4. Roll out half the pastry to the size of the plate and lay it across. Toss the apple slices in the remaining 50g of sugar and arrange over the pastry, leaving a 2cm border around the edge. Roll out the remaining pastry slightly wider than the plate, dampen the edges of the pastry on the plate, and place the second piece over the apples. Seal the edges using a knife or fork. Trim any excess pastry from the rim using a knife. Brush the top with the beaten egg for an even coating.
5. With any leftover pastry scraps, cut leaf shapes and score veins into them using a knife. Place on top of the egg-washed pastry to decorate, then egg wash the leaves.
6. Prod the top of the pastry with a fork or cut four slits near the centre to allow steam to escape. Sprinkle generously with caster sugar, then bake in the preheated oven for 35–40 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and the apples have softened.
7. Allow to cool slightly, then serve in wedges with some softly whipped cream.