Tarte aux Pommes: Traditional French Baked Apple Tart

Prepare the Pâte Brisée: In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter and cut it into the flour using your fingertips or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. Gradually add cold water, a tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix. Form into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat Oven and Prepare Apples: Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples, about 3mm thick. Place them in a bowl and toss gently with lemon juice to prevent browning.

Roll Out Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough into a 30cm (12-inch) circle. Carefully transfer the dough to a 24-26cm (9.5-10 inch) tart pan, pressing it gently into the bottom and up the sides. Trim any excess dough, leaving a slight overhang.

Arrange Apples: Arrange the apple slices in concentric circles on top of the pastry, starting from the outside and working your way inward, overlapping them slightly. Sprinkle the granulated sugar evenly over the apples and drizzle with the melted butter.

Bake the Tart: Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the apples are tender and caramelized. If the crust edges brown too quickly, you can loosely cover them with aluminum foil.

Glaze and Serve: While the tart is still warm, gently heat the apricot jam with a teaspoon of water in a small saucepan until melted and smooth. Brush the warm glaze over the baked apples. Let the tart cool slightly before slicing and serving. C'est magnifique!