Tarte aux pommes

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. For the almond cream, in a small bowl whisk the 60g butter with the icing sugar, vanilla and almond extract for 2-3 minutes until the butter turns pale, then add the remaining ingredients. Whisk well and set aside.
2. Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface to a 32cm round (to the thickness of a £1 coin), then place on a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper. Using the back of a small knife, draw a line 1cm in from the edge of the pastry all the way round to give the tart a border.
3. Prick inside the marked circle all over with a fork, then spread over the almond cream.
4. Starting from the outside, arrange the apple slices over the almond cream, overlapping them tightly so that only about 1cm of the previous slice is visible. Make a complete circle then start another circle, overlapping the previous one. Repeat this operation until the tart is complete.
5. In a small frying pan, melt the 20g butter with the rosemary until foaming, then add the sugar. Stir, then remove from the heat and brush the mixture over the apples. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the apples are well coloured around the edges. With a spatula, lift the tart carefully and check the bottom is cooked and crisp.
6. Heat the jam very gently in a small saucepan with a tiny splash of water. Sieve it (if you want a very smooth glaze), then brush over the tart. Serve with vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche or simply as it is.