Préparation

To make the pastry, using a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, almond meal and baking powder to combine. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and process until mixture just starts to come together. Tip out onto a lightly floured bench and knead briefly to bring together. Form into a disc, cover with plastic wrap and rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 180°C. Roll the pastry out between two pieces of baking paper to a 30 cm round. Line a 26 cm loose base pie tin with the pastry. Line the pastry with baking paper and weigh down with baking weights or rice. Blind bake the pastry for 15 minutes, then remove the weights and bake for a further 8–10 minutes until light golden. Reduce oven to 170°C.
Meanwhile, to make the apple custard, beat the eggs with sugar and cornflour until combined. In a small saucepan, bring the apple cider to the boil. Whisk the cider into the egg mixture and return to the saucepan. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring continuously, for 1–2 minutes until the mixture thickens, then strain.
Scatter the diced apple over the base of the cooked pastry. Pour over the custard and return the tart to the oven. Bake for 12 minutes until the custard is set. Remove from the oven, cool to room temperature then refrigerate overnight.
To serve, cut into slices, dust with icing sugar (if using) and serve with thickened cream.

Ingrédients

  • 900 g red apples, peeled and diced
  • thickened cream, to serve
  • icing sugar, to dust (optional)
  • Short crust
  • 200 g (1⅓ cups) plain flour
  • 55 g (¼ cup) caster sugar
  • 50 g almond meal
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 100 g cold butter, diced
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • Apple custard
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 110 g (½ cup) caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp cornflour
  • 500 ml (2 cups) dry apple cider