Skip to content

The dessert, Chic bistro

French apple tart with vanilla ice cream

French apple tart is a bistro style dessert for 6 people, made with puff pastry and thinly sliced apples, needing 25 minutes of active work. You assemble it ahead and bake it right before serving, making it very easy and about €1.30 per person. The key is well pricked pastry and apple slices fanned thin and tight.

I'm making a French apple tart, crisp puff pastry and golden apple slices, served warm with a scoop of ice cream.

French apple tart with vanilla ice cream
For
6 people
Work
25 min
Total time
50 min
Prep
Finished at the last minute
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€1.30
Calories per person
480 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

This tart is the opposite of a thick, soft apple dessert. The puff pastry stays crisp from edge to center, the thinly sliced apples caramelize on top without soaking the dough, and the apricot glaze adds just enough shine and flavor. Served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it has that hot and cold contrast everyone loves.

It's a great dessert for a dinner with friends or a family meal in fall or winter, when golden apples are at their best, though it works just as well in spring. You bake it right before serving, so you get to enjoy the main course without rushing back to the kitchen, and its low cost makes it easy to scale up if more guests show up.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day Nothing to do
  3. Before the guests arrive 3 steps, 10 min
  4. When it's time to serve 2 steps, 20 min

Right before your guests arrive, cut out the pastry rounds, slice the apples, and assemble the tarts, they'll wait on their trays until you're ready. At serving time, bake for 20 minutes while you clear the main course, then brush with warm apricot glaze and serve warm with ice cream. Nothing is made the day before, this dessert comes together entirely at the last minute.

The ingredients

6 people

Dairy

  • All butter puff pastry 2
  • Butter 40 g
  • Vanilla ice cream 6

Fruits and vegetables

  • Golden delicious apples 5

Pantry

  • Sugaroften in the pantry 60 g
  • Apricot jam 3 tbsp
  • Cinnamonoften in the pantry 1 tsp

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The recipe, moment by moment

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Cut six rounds out of the puff pastry using a large bowl as a guide, and set them on baking sheets.

    Prick each round with a fork, leaving a 1 cm border so it puffs up nicely.

  2. Peel the apples, cut them in half, remove the core, and slice them very thinly. 10 min

    The thinner the slices, the faster they cook and the more tender they stay.

  3. Arrange the apple slices in a fan on each round, then sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, and small pieces of butter.

    Overlap the slices like fish scales so everything stays tightly packed.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Bake at 200°C until the edges are golden and the apples are caramelized. 20 min

    Keep the tarts on the lower rack of the oven, the base bakes better there.

  2. Brush with warm apricot jam and serve warm with a scoop of ice cream.

    Warm the jam with a spoonful of water for a smooth, easy glaze.

Our tips to get it right

  • Use cold all butter puff pastry, it puffs better and crisps more than pastry made with oil.
  • Serve the tarts straight out of the oven, the pastry loses its crispness after about 20 minutes.
  • Pick firm apples like golden delicious rather than watery varieties, so the base stays dry.

The variations

  • Swap the apples for ripe pears, sliced the same way, for a more fragrant winter version.
  • For something richer, scatter a few sliced almonds over the apples before baking.
  • For kids, skip the cinnamon and serve the tart plain without ice cream, cut into small pieces.

What to serve it with

  • A scoop of vanilla ice cream, as in the recipe
  • Coffee or tea after dessert
  • A dry cider alongside the meal

Storage

This tart is best eaten the same day, ideally warm from the oven. The uncooked assembled tarts can sit in the fridge, covered, for a few hours before baking, but puff pastry doesn't freeze well once topped with apples.

Questions about this recipe

Can I use apples other than golden delicious?

Yes, pick a firm apple that holds up to baking, like Braeburn or Gala. Avoid very juicy apples, they'll release water and make the pastry soggy.

How do I keep the bottom of the tart from getting soggy?

Prick the dough well with a fork and bake the tarts on the lower oven rack. Setting a plate or tray on top halfway through also helps the pastry bake flat.

Can I make one large tart instead of six small ones?

Yes, overlap the two sheets of puff pastry slightly on one baking sheet. Add a few extra minutes of baking time and check the center, which browns more slowly.

What jam can I use if I don't have apricot?

Peach or quince jam works just as well, as long as it's smooth enough to melt easily. Warm it with a splash of water for a glossy, easy to brush glaze.

Can a French apple tart with vanilla ice cream be made ahead?

Partly, the finish happens at the last moment. The recipe needs 25 min of work in total, split up like this, before the guests arrive, 3 steps, when it's time to serve, 2 steps.

How long does it take to make a French apple tart with vanilla ice cream?

Allow 50 min in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 25 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "very easy".

How many calories are in a French apple tart with vanilla ice cream?

About 480 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a French apple tart with vanilla ice cream cost?

About €1.30 per person, that's €7.80 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

To round out your menu

Build a menu
Garlic mushroom toasts The appetizer

Chic bistro

Garlic mushroom toasts

  • 25 min of work
  • Prepared the same day
  • Very easy, €0.90 per person

120 kcalcalculated by Kiloach

Desserts for entertaining

See all
Lemon meringue pie The dessert

French classic

Lemon meringue pie

  • 1 h 15 of work
  • Prepared the day before
  • Medium, €1.80 per person

510 kcalcalculated by Kiloach

Pastéis de nata The dessert

Mediterranean

Pastéis de nata

  • 45 min of work
  • Prepared the day before
  • Medium, €1.30 per person

300 kcalcalculated by Kiloach