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This easy puff pastry apple tart combines buttery, flakey pastry with tender apple slices and a sweet honey glaze. Ready in just 30 minutes, this simple fall dessert looks impressive but requires minimal effort. Perfect for apple season celebrations or anytime you want a quick, delicious treat.
What is a Puff Pastry Apple Tart?
A puff pastry apple tart is a simple dessert that features thinly sliced apples arranged on store-bought puff pastry and baked until golden. Unlike traditional apple pie, this easy apple tart requires no rolling out dough or complex preparation. The puff pastry creates dozens of buttery, flakey layers while the apples caramelize beautifully in the oven. With just a few ingredients and minimal prep time, you can create an elegant dessert that tastes like it came from a bakery.
Why Use Honey Instead of Brown Sugar
When making this puff pastry apple tart, honey offers a delicious alternative to brown sugar. Honey adds a distinct floral sweetness that complements the natural tartness of apples. Using our Eastern Shore Raw Honey brings depth of flavor to this simple dessert. For baking with honey, we recommend darker varietals like Buckwheat, Sourwood, or Cranberry honey, which pair beautifully with warm spices and fruit.
Apples and Honey: A Sweet Tradition
Apple season perfectly coincides with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. During this celebration, we dip apples into kosher honey to symbolize our hopes for a sweet year ahead. This puff pastry apple tart makes a wonderful addition to your Rosh Hashanah dessert table, honoring the tradition of apples and honey.
Best Apples for Puff Pastry Apple Tart
Choosing the right apples makes all the differences in this easy apple tart recipe. The best apples for baking have a firm texture and balanced sweet-tart flavor:
- Granny Smith apples are excellent for this puff pastry dessert becausue their tart flavor mellows when baked and balances the sweetness of honey perfectly. Their firm texture holds up well during baking.
- Honeycrisp apples offer a crisp texture with natural sweetness that caramelizes beautifully in this apple tart recipe.
- Pink Lady apples provide a firm, crisp bite with a lovely sweet-tart balance that complements honey wonderfully.
Growing Apples on the Eastern Shore
On Chesterhaven Beach Farm, we grow several varieties of apples perfect for this puff pastry apple tart. Late September through early October is ideal for picking apples and making fall desserts like this easy apple tart and apple honey cake.
Equipment Needed
To make this puff pastry apple tart, you'll need:
- Baking sheet lined with parchment paper
- Pastry brush
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Mixing bowl
- Rolling pin (optional)
Having your equipment ready makes preparing this easy apple tart quick and effortless.
Celebrate fall with Kosher Honey Gifts featuring apples and honey
How to Make Puff Pastry Apple Tart
Ingredients
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed overnight
- 2-3 Granny Smith apples
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons Bee Inspired Honey
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon filtered water
- 2 tablespoons organic coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons apricot jam/preserves
- 1 tablespoon Calvados rum (or water)
- All purpose flour for dusting
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare Ingredients
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Remove the frozen puff pastry from the freezer and allow it to thaw according to the package directions (usually 40 minutes at room temperature). Gather all your ingredients before starting.
Step 2: Prepare the Puff Pastry
Lightly flour your work surface. Gently unfold the thawed puff pastry and roll it out to an 8x14 inch rectangle. This rolling helps create extra flaky layers in your puff pastry apple tart. Trim the edges with a sharp knife for clean lines. Transfer the puff pastry to a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the freezer while you preare the apples.
Step 3: Prepare the Apples
Peel and core the Granny Smith apples, then cut them in half. Slice each half into thin slices (about 1/4 inch thick). Place the apple slices in a bowl with lemon juice, honey, and cinnamon. Toss gently to coat all the slices evenly.
Step 4: Apply Egg Wash
Whisk together the egg yolk and water to create an egg wash. Remove the puff pastry from the freezer. Using a pastry brush, apply the egg wash to the entire surface of the puff pastry.
Step 5: Assemble the Tart
Score a 3/4-inch boarder around the edges of the puff pastry without cutting all the way through. This border will puff up beautifully during baking. Arrange the honey-coated apple slices in overlapping rows within the border. Dot the apples with small pieces of coconut oil.
Step 6: Bake
Bake your puff pastry apple tart for 20-30 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and the apples are tender. The edges should be puffed and crispy.
Step 7: Add the Glaze
While the tart bakes, heat the apricot jam with rum or water until melted and smooth. When you remove the apple tart from the oven, immediately brush this glaze over the warm apples. The glaze adds beautiful shine and extra flavor. Allow the tart to cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This puff pastry apple tart is delicious served warm or at room temperature. Top it with:
- Vanilla ice cream
- Whipped cream
- Honey caramel sauce
- Additional drizzle of honey
Storage
Store leftover puff pastry apple tart covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The tart can be frozen for up to 2 months. For best results, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat briefly in a 350°F oven to restore some crispness to the pastry.
Recipe Variations
Make this easy apple tart your own with these creative twists:
- Mix caramelized pears with the apples for variety
- Add raisins or dried cranberries for extra sweetness
- Sprinkle crushed candied nuts on top before baking
- Drizzle with dark chocolate after cooling
- Serve with homemade blueberry ice cream
This puff pastry apple tart also makes a beautiful Rosh Hashanah dessert. The combination of apples and honey carries symbolic meaning for a sweet new year.
More Fall Apple Recipes
Love this easy apple tart? Try these other apple recipes with honey:
This puff pastry apple tart proves that impressive desserts don't require hours in the kitchen. With just a handful of ingredients and simple techniques, you can create a bakery-worthy treat that celebrates the flavors of fall. Whether you're preparing for a holiday gathering, enjoying the bounty of apple season, or simply craving something sweet, this easy recipe delivers delicious results every time. The combination of buttery, flaky pastry, tender caramelized apples, and sweet honey glaze creates a dessert that's both comforting and elegant - perfect for any occasion.
