Apple Tart

Preparation time: 30 minutes + chilling

Total cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Serves 6-8

2 cooking apples3 tablespoons sugar

1 egg

1/3 cup cream

1 tablespoon Calvados or Kirsch

1 Sift the flour into a bowl, then, using just your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Make a well in the center and add almost all the water. Using a knife, mix to a dough, adding more water if necessary. Gather together and turn out a sheet of baking paper. Press together gently until smooth, wrap and chill for 15 minutes. Roll out to fit a 9 inch loose-bottomed, flatted flan tin. Line the tin with the pastry, trimming any excess. Chill for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to moderately hot 375 degrees F/Gas 5.

2 Line the pastry with a sheet of crumpled baking paper and fill with baking beads or rice. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the paper and beads and bake for 15 minutes, until cooked on the base and golden around the edge; cool.

3 Peel, core and thinly slice the apples. Arrange in the pastry shell with the slices overlapping, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar and bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together the egg, remaining sugar and the cream. Stir in the liqueur, then pour carefully over the apples. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the cream mixture has set and is puffed and golden (it will sink down as it cools). Serve hot or at room temperature. Whipped cream topping, optional.