Elegant French apple tarts — caramelised puff pastry topped with thin apple slices, glazed with spiced red wine jelly and served with cardamom crème fraîche.
These elegant Chinon apple tarts are deceptively simple — crisp caramelised puff pastry topped with thinly sliced apple and brushed with a spiced red wine glaze. Served with cardamom crème fraîche, they're a beautifully grown-up dessert that looks bakery-fancy.
Prep 25 min
Cook 30 min
Total 55 min
Medium
- 320g Puff Pastry
- 4 tbs Dark Brown Soft Sugar
- 3 Braeburn Apples
- 4 tbs Red Wine Jelly
- 100ml Creme Fraiche
- 1 tbs Icing Sugar
- 3 Cardamom
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Preparation
- To make the red wine jelly, put the red wine, jam sugar, star anise, clove, cinnamon stick, allspice and split vanilla pod and seeds in a medium saucepan, stir together, and heat gently to dissolve the sugar. Turn up the heat and boil for 20 minutes until reduced and syrupy, then strain into a sterilised jar and leave to cool (keeps in the fridge for up to 1 month).
- Take the pastry out of the fridge and leave at room temperature for 10 minutes, then unroll. Heat the grill to high and the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Cut out 2 x 13cm circles of pastry using a plate as a guide and place on a non-stick baking sheet. Sprinkle each with 1 tbsp sugar and grill for 5 minutes to caramelise, watching carefully, then remove.
- Peel, quarter, core and thinly slice the apples (2mm thick), arrange over the pastry, sprinkle with the remaining sugar, and bake for 20–25 minutes until the pastry is golden and the apples softened. Leave to cool slightly.
- Warm 3 tbsp of the red wine jelly in a small pan with 1 tsp water to loosen, then brush over the tarts.
- Tip the crème fraîche into a bowl, sift over the icing sugar and cardamom, and mix. Lift the warm tarts onto plates and serve with the cardamom crème fraîche.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Caramelise the sugared pastry under the grill for a crisp, glassy base before baking.
- Slice the apples really thinly so they soften and fan out neatly.
- Brush with the warm wine glaze for a glossy, jewel-like finish.
- Make the red wine jelly ahead — it keeps for a month and is lovely on cheese too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — a brush of warmed apricot jam gives a similar glossy finish if you're short on time.
A firm eating apple like Braeburn holds its shape and slices neatly; avoid soft, mealy varieties.
They're best fresh and crisp, but you can prep the components and assemble shortly before baking.
