Martha Stewart Apple Jalousie Tart

Martha Stewart apple jalousie tart turns cognac-baked apples, vanilla bean and store-bought puff pastry into a flaky, golden dessert in 2 hours 15 minutes. Save this easy dessert for Thanksgiving, Christmas or a cozy fall dinner party, because it's make-ahead friendly and bakes on one sheet pan.

Let the baked apples cool completely before they go onto the pastry, because warm filling melts the butter in the dough. Skip that and the puff pastry turns greasy and never rises into crisp layers.

Martha bakes the apples first with cognac, lemon and vanilla seeds, so the filling is already tender and jammy before it meets the pastry. She also freezes the filled tart for 20 minutes, which keeps the strips crisp instead of slumping in the oven.

Martha Stewart Apple Jalousie Tart

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Course: DessertCuisine: American, FrenchDifficulty: Medium

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

45

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

25

minutes

Calories

290

kcal

Spiced-sweet apples sit under woven strips of puff pastry that bake up shatteringly crisp and shiny with caramelized sugar. A quick blast under the broiler finishes the top with a deep amber crunch.

Ingredients

• 5 apples, such as Empire, McIntosh or Cortland, peeled, halved, cored, and cut into 8 wedges
  

• 3/4 cup sugar
  

• 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
  

• 3 tablespoons cognac
  

• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons fresh juice
  

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  

• 2 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour
  

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  

• 1 sheet puff pastry, preferably all-butter, thawed if frozen
  

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  

• Sugar, for sprinkling
  

• Vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)
  

Directions

• Bake the apples: Toss 5 peeled and cut apples with 3/4 cup sugar, 1 scraped vanilla bean, 3 tablespoons cognac, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons flour. Pour into a 13-by-9-inch dish, dot with the butter and bake at 350°F for about 40 minutes until tender.
• Cool the filling: Let the baked apples cool completely before you touch the pastry. Then raise the oven temperature to 400°F so it is ready later.
• Roll and score: Roll the puff pastry into a 16 1/2-by-12 1/2-inch rectangle on parchment. Lightly score it into thirds with a paring knife, without cutting all the way through.
• Cut the strips: Cut 3/4-inch-wide strips along the two outer thirds, leaving the center third whole for the filling. Keep the knife off the scored lines, then slide the pastry onto a baking sheet and freeze it briefly if it gets too soft.
• Fill and chill: Spread the cooled apples evenly down the center third of the pastry. Freeze the tart for 20 minutes so everything firms up.
• Weave the strips: Whisk the egg with 1 teaspoon water and brush it lightly over the strips. Fold them over the filling, alternating from one side to the other in an overlapping pattern.
• Bake and caramelize: Move the tart to a parchment-lined room-temperature baking sheet, brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle generously with sugar. Bake 20 minutes at 400°F, then lower to 350°F for 20 more minutes.
• Broil and serve: Switch the oven to broil and cook 2 to 3 minutes until the sugar caramelizes, watching closely so it doesn't burn. Let the tart cool to room temperature, then slice and serve with vanilla ice cream if you like.

Tools for this recipe

• Nordic Ware half sheet pan, Reynolds unbleached parchment paper, J.K. Adams French rolling pin, Madagascar vanilla beans, grade A, 10 pods. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I swap the cognac in the apple filling?

Apple juice or apple cider works in the same amount if you want to skip alcohol. You'll lose a little depth, so add an extra squeeze of lemon to keep the filling bright.

How long does apple jalousie keep?

Leave it loosely covered at room temperature for the first day, since the pastry stays crispest that way. After that, refrigerate it for up to 3 days and warm slices in a 350°F oven for about 8 minutes.

Can I make the tart ahead of time?

Bake and cool the apple filling up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Then assemble and bake the tart the day you serve it, because the pastry puffs best straight from the freezer.

What if I don't have a 13-by-9-inch baking dish?

Use a rimmed baking sheet or a large oven-safe skillet, as long as the apples sit in a fairly even layer. A crowded pile steams instead of roasting, so spread them out.

Why did my pastry strips turn soft instead of crisp?

Warm filling or a warm pastry is the usual culprit, because the butter in the dough melts before it can puff. Cool the apples fully, freeze the filled tart for 20 minutes and bake on a room-temperature sheet.