Recipe: La Tarte Normande Kayser

La Tarte Normande Kayser

Makes one 9-inch tart.

This is Kayser's recipe for a Normandy-style apple tart. Laurence is from Brittany, near Normandy in northwest France. The regions are known for rich milk, butter and cheese. The apples in this tart are baked in a creamy sauce named for clafouti, a French dessert in which fruit is baked in a pudding-or cake-like batter. The recipe has been adapted from metric measurements and also for some ingredients that are not available in the United States, such as the instant flan powder used in the sauce. The finished tart can be flamed with a spoonful of Calvados, another Normandy specialty.

For the pâte sablee:

3 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

2 tbsp. powdered sugar

1 tbsp. granulated sugar

¾ tsp. salt

1 egg

¾ c. flour

For the sauce clafoutis:

2 eggs

¼ c. plus 3 tbsp. granulated sugar

2 tbsp. very finely ground almonds

1 tsp. cornstarch

¼ c. plus 2 tbsp. milk

½ c. plus 3 tbsp. heavy cream

For the tart:

4 Golden Delicious apples, cored, peeled and thinly sliced

To prepare pâte sablee: Combine until smooth the butter, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons almonds and salt. Work in 1 egg and ¾ cup flour. Gather pastry in a ball on work surface, cover with inverted bowl and let rest for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Use a minimal amount of flour to roll out pastry to 11-inch circle. Fit pastry into bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart pan. Fill pan with pie weights and bake pastry until golden, about 15 minutes. Let pastry cool to room temperature. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees.

To prepare sauce clafoutis: Mix together until smooth the 2 eggs, 1 egg yolk, ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons almonds and cornstarch. Stir in milk, cream and vanilla.

Nutrition information per ¹/₈ serving:

Calories305

Carbohydrates36 g

Protein6 g

Fat16 g

Cholesterol142 mg

Sodium260 mg

Calcium59 mg

Dietary fiber2 g