Apple Tart with Patchwork pastry

Don’t have the patience for perfectly rolled pastry? This apple tart is built for you. The crust goes on in patches, scraps of dough pressed together right in the plate, so there’s no chasing a flawless circle of dough.

The filling is concentrated and intense because it cooks down with no added water. Apples, a pinch of ground cloves, and sugar simmer until soft and jammy, the way real apple flavor deepens when it isn’t diluted.

A thin layer of apricot jam brushed over the base does two jobs: it adds a honeyed fruit note and seals the pastry so the bottom doesn’t go soggy under the apples.

One rule worth shouting, just as the recipe does: let the apple mixture cool before it touches the pastry. Hot filling melts the butter in the dough and turns your crust greasy and slumped instead of crisp.

Chef Tips

• Cook the apples with no water, only sugar and cloves, so the filling stays thick and doesn’t leak into the crust.
• Cool the filling completely before assembling, since warm apples will melt the pastry’s butter.
• Overlap the pastry pieces slightly when you patch them so they fuse into one crust as they bake.
• A sprinkle of sugar over the top crust gives a crackly, caramelized finish.

Variations

• Use fresh Granny Smith apples for more tartness, or Bramleys for a softer, fluffier filling.
• Add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg alongside the cloves.
• Swap the apricot jam for raspberry or fig for a different base note.