An elegant and easy vegan French Apple Tart that looks deceptively complex but comes together in less than 20 minutes with just five ingredients. Sliced apples are arranged on a golden puff pastry base and all of this deliciousness is amped up with an apricot glaze. A vegan, soy-free and nut-free recipe.
There are recipes so complex that only a genius can pull them off, and then there are recipes so ridiculously simple and yet so amazing that they look like a genius pulled them off. This elegant vegan French Apple Tart falls into that latter category.
You don't really have to be an expert baker to make this apple tart, although if you are, I won't hold it against you. 😉 And even if you haven't made a pie or tart before, you're still good, because this recipe simplifies the toughest part of pie-making: the crust.
I love making vegan pies from scratch, but I also love it when I can simplify the recipes I already love. I've showed you before how to use puff pastry creatively in recipes that require a pie crust, like my Vegan Mushroom Pot Pie, and my Vegan Leek and Potato Tart. The great thing about puff pastry is that you are guaranteed a great look for your pie or tart because it bakes up very golden and very pretty. Plus, it takes the guesswork out of crust-making.
And, many storebought versions are vegan, although be sure to read the label.
If you have some extra time on hand you could try making your own puff pastry with the recipe I shared as part of this vegetable puffs recipe. I do have instructions for making whole-wheat puff pastry on the blog!
I riffed off an Ina Garten recipe for the filling of this French apple tart, and I tried to keep it as healthy as possible with turbinado sugar. I did add some amaretto in the apricot glaze that gets brushed all over the apples at the end, and it was to die for. You don't have to worry about the glaze making your kid drunk: it cooks off when you warm the jam. Jay gobbled up several slices and didn't slur a single word.
The best part of this vegan French Apple Tart is its simplicity. All you need are five ingredients: the apples, the puff pastry, sugar, apricot jam, and, if you're using it, the liqueur. And when you carry it to the table, everyone's going to be applauding you. Bravo.
More vegan tart recipes
Vegan French Apple Tart
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- 4 apples* (cored, halved, then cut into ¼th-inch slices. You can also peel them if you don't like the skins, but I leave them on.)
- ½ cup turbinado sugar
- ½ cup apricot jam
- 2 tablespoon amaretto liqueur or water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Mix the apples with the sugar in a large bowl.
- Roll out the puff pastry sheet to fit in your tart pan. I used a 12 X 8 inch rectangular pan with a removable bottom, but a round one would work too.
- Place the puff pastry inside the pan and press in the sides to fit to the pan. You can use a rolling pin to cut any overhanging pastry dough, or tuck it under the edges to get a neat look. With a fork, prick the dough all over to keep it from rising in the pan.
- Layer the sliced apples inside the puff pastry in a decorative pattern, tucking any small pieces into the corners to ensure the surface is evenly covered. If you're working with a round pan, you can layer them in concentric circles.
- Place the tart on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any juices that spill over, and then in the oven. Bake 45 minutes, turning around once halfway through baking. Remove to a rack.
- Heat the apricot jam with the water or liqueur in a small saucepan until it's runny enough to work with. Brush on top of the apples once the tart is out of the oven. If your pan has a removable bottom, unmold before the tart cools down completely because any running juices could cause the pastry to stick to the pan. Continue cooling on a rack. Slice and serve at room temperature.
Recipe notes
- I used gala apples which retain their shape during baking, making for a pretty finished tart. You can sub another baking apple)
H
This was great!! So simple and classic. I skipped the apricot jam step (too lazy!) but added a couple of teaspoons of whiskey in with the apples & sugar before baking.... super tasty!
MaryPat
I have a bag of macintosh apples sitting in my kitchen. I've never attempted making apple anything before so I was wondering if macintosh would be a good variety to use for this tart recipe? Thanks!
Vaishali
Hi, Macintosh apples would work very well here!
Ida Moser
So easy and oh so fabulous! My tart pan is smaller so I used 3 apples and I halved the sugar. Kept everything else the same and no disappointments. Husband had multiple servings and I’m all about making this again soon. Great recipe!!!
Vaishali
Ida, so happy you made it!
Saheli
Love it....must try!
Vaishali
Hope you do!