If you are looking for something out of the ordinary to make for dessert and you really don’t want a lot of fuss, I suggest you sit up and take notice of this one. It’s easy to put together at the last minute, doesn’t require lots of difficult to find ingredients and is more elegant than your average after dinner sweet stuff. It’s also not too sugary.

What I was after in developing this recipe was a replica of the kind of slice of apple tart that you can buy in French pastry shops, full of tart apple flavor, not overly saccharine and just a little bit browned, even a tad burnt on the tips of some of the apple slices. It took me a few tries, but I think I nailed it. Do not be tempted to sprinkle on extra sugar or add in some cinnamon, if you want that kind of apple pie, go here.

While I’ve made my own puff pastry, I understand that not everyone has the time or the inclination for that endeavor. If you do, start here. For the rest of you, just buy some pre-made puff pastry, a couple of yellow delicious apples, some unsweetened applesauce, an optional egg yolk and either apple or apricot jelly. That’s right, just five ingredients and no additional sugar will get you a guaranteed crowd pleaser. I promise.

tarte aux pommes (French apple tart)

• 1 rectangle or square of purchased puff pastry (I used Trader Joe’s, but Pepperage Farm is good too and a bit bigger, so I recommend it if you want a bigger tart)
• 2 small yellow delicious apples, peeled and sliced very thinly
• 1/2 cup apple sauce
• 1/3 cup apple or apricot jelly, warmed
• Optional: one egg yolk mixed with 1 t water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place puff pastry on a baking sheet either lined with parchment paper or lightly buttered. Spread apple sauce on top of pastry, leaving at least one half inch of pastry all around. Line the top of the apple sauce with rows of apples. Brush tops of apples with apple jelly, being careful not to get much of it on the edges of the pastry (this would inhibit the puffing that will happen in the oven). Optional: for a golden look on the edges, brush a small amount of egg yolk mixture on the exposed pastry, being very careful not to let it drip down the very edge of the dough (again, this is to ensure that it will puff up during baking). Bake in pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes or until top of tart is golden brown and the tips of the apples are even a little darker. Cut into rectangles and serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 6-8