Ingredients

• 21/3cups (500g) plain flour
• 1 cup pure icing sugar, sifted
• 250g unsalted butter, softened
• 3 eggs
• 11/2 cups caster sugar
• 20 apples, such as pink lady or delicious
• 250g butter, extra, cubed
• 1/3cup currants
• 50ml calvados or other apple-based liqueur
• pinch of salt
• thick cream, to serve

 

Method

Grease a 5.5 x 23cm (base measurement) fluted loose-bottomed flan pan with butter. Combine flour and icing sugar in a large bowl. Using your fingertips, rub butter into flour mixture. Add eggs, one at a time, and work into a dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or until dough is firm.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Turn dough onto a floured surface and roll out until 4mm thick. Line prepared pan with pastry and trim edges. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes. Line pastry with baking paper and fill with dried beans, rice or pastry weights.
Bake for 15 minutes. Remove dried beans or rice and paper. Bake for 10—15 minutes or until light golden and firm to the touch. Stand pan on a wire rack to cool. Reduce
oven to 180°C. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved and mixture comes to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Peel, core and dice 17 apples. Add extra butter to a large, deep saucepan over a medium heat. When melted, add diced apples and remaining sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 25-30 minutes or until apples are rich, golden and caramelised. Add currants, calvados and salt. Cook for a further 5 minutes. Set aside to cool. Spoon cooled apple mixture into tart shell. Peel, core and thinly slice remaining apples. Place apple slices over surface of tart, overlapping slightly. Brush liberally with reserved sugar syrup. Bake for 30-40 minutes, brushing every 10 minutes with sugar syrup, until tart is hot and apple topping is soft and light golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Remove tart from pan and place on a large cake stand. Serve with thick cream.