French Apple Tart with Gravenstein Apples & Spelt Pastry

If I had to pick my favorite apple it would be Gravenstein and my favorite way to eat it that would be easy- in a french apple tart.  A generous slice of  french apple tart is an ideal food for every meal, especially breakfast. I even made it healthy with Spelt flour.  Actually I used Spelt flour because I like the slightly nutty flavor of it and the warm brown color it gives to the baked tart pastry.  Gravenstein apples are a good eating and baking apple. They are also pretty apples to keep in a bowl on your counter.  Last year I made a tart and gave a little information on Gravenstein apples, if you're interested  please check it out here.  If you like search my blog for other recipes for these lovely apples, including a simple pantry cake made with fig jam.  They are the first apples of the season here and they don't last very long in the market so I always bring home a bag to enjoy.  My grandson Noah starts first grade this Wednesday, the same week that we're supposed to get our first really hot weather of summer.  I'm glad I did my tart baking today and will let my oven rest during our heat wave.  The rest of the week in my kitchen will be dedicated to making jelly with the large bowl of Key or Mexican limes from friends in Palm Springs, oh and don't forget my upcoming French Friday hamburger!

Ingredients and Directions for French Apple Tart with Gravenstein Apples & Spelt Pastry
Adapted from Back To Basics by Ina Garten

For The Spelt Pastry

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup Spelt flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
12 tablespoons(1&1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
1/2 cup ice water(scant)

For The Apples

6 Gravenstein apples
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
1/3 cup apricot jelly or warm sieved apricot jam
1-2 tablespoons Calvados

Place the flours, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor with the steel blade.  Pulse 3 or 4 times to combine.  Add all the butter at once and pulse about 12 times, until the butter is in small bits.  Pour half the ice water into the mixture with the motor running and pulse adding small amounts of water until the dough starts to clump together.  Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap and quickly knead into a flat disk.  Chill in the refrigerator for about one hour.

Preheat the oven to 375F and line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper.

Roll the dough out to about 10x14 and place on the parchment paper lined baking sheet pan.

Core and peel the apples.  Slice the apples into 1/4 inch thick slices.    Arrange the apples slightly overlapping in diagonal rows until the pastry is covered with apple slices.  Sprinkle with the 1/2 cup sugar and dot with the butter.
Bake for about one hour until the pastry is browned and the apples are starting to brown on the edges.  Rotate the pan half way through cooking.  Don't worry when the apple juices start to burn on the edges, the tart will be caramelized on the edges.  Mix together the apricot jam or jelly and Calvados in a small bowl.  Pull the tart out of the oven and brush with the apricot jelly and Calvados mixture.  Cool for 5-10 minutes and cut into squares to serve.  This tart is also good served at room temperature for breakfast, lunch or dinner.