This apple puff pastry tart is drizzled with a delicious chai spice-infused custard sauce. The sauce goes perfectly with the flaky crust and makes this dessert a wonderful fall or winter afternoon treat.
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Why make this recipe?
There is nothing better than a delicious apple dessert to welcome in the fall season, whether it’s mini apple cakes, apple clafoutis or this apple puff pastry tart. This recipe is easy to make, doesn’t require much work and delivers fall-spiced deliciousness in every bite.
Ingredients needed:
For the spiced custard sauce:
For the puff pastry tart:
Ingredient notes:
- Make sure to use Granny Smith apples for this tart, other apple varieties don’t work as well as Granny Smith here.
How to make the sauce:
See full ingredients & instructions in the recipe card below!
Step 1. Add milk, cream, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom and peppercorns to a saucepan. Stirring continuously, bring the mix to a simmer, then turn the heat off, cover and let steep for 30 minutes.
Step 2. Strain the mix into a large liquid measuring cup or another vessel that you can easily pour from. Discard the spices. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the egg yolks together.
Step 3. Whisk the cream mix into the egg yolks.
Step 4. Pour the custard back into the saucepan. Heat on medium-low heat, stirring continuously, until the custard has thickened and is coating the back of a wooden spoon (about 4 minutes). Let cool, then cover and store in the fridge until you’re ready to serve the tart.
How to make the tart:
See full ingredients & instructions in the recipe card below!
While the sauce cools, set the the puff pastry sheet for the tart out to thaw for 40 minutes. When you have about 10 minutes left to thaw, prepare the apple topping.
Prepare the apples:
Step 1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Quarter, core, peel and thinly slice the apples.
Step 2. Melt butter in a pan and cook the apples for a few minutes until tender.
Step 3. In a bowl, whisk together sugar and corn starch.
Step 4. Toss the cooked apple slices in the sugar/corn starch mix until they are evenly coated.
Assemble and bake the tart:
Step 5. Cut a 9-inch round out of the puff pastry sheet and either lay it into a greased, 9-inch round tart pan or lay it on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 6. Lay the apple slices on the puff pastry (discard any juices that are in the bowl), then set the tart pan on a baking sheet. Bake the tart until the edges of the apple slices are golden-brown and the crust is baked through (25-30 minutes).
Serve the tart:
Serve the warm tart drizzled with the cold sauce.
Recipe notes & tips:
- You may end up with a few clumps in the custard sauce. If so, simply strain it before serving.
- You can make the custard sauce up to a day ahead and keep in the fridge until you’re ready to serve the tart.
Frequently asked questions:
Yes, the beauty of puff pastry is that you don’t actually have to bake it in a pan. You can simply lay the puff pastry round on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake it that way.
Definitely. The sauce is great on cinnamon rolls, fresh fruit, bread pudding and more.
More delicious fruit recipes:
See more tart recipes →
Did you make this recipe? It would be awesome if you could leave a rating. Either tap or click the stars in the recipe card or leave a comment below. Thanks!
Full Printable Recipe
Apple Puff Pastry Tart with Chai-Spiced Custard Sauce
Equipment
- measuring cups and spoons
- small saucepan with lid
- wooden spoon
- sieve
- large liquid measuring cup or similar container with a spout
- mixing bowl
- whisk
- knife and cutting board
- pan
- rubber spatula
- 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom OR parchment paper
- baking sheet
Ingredients
For the custard sauce:
- ½ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 whole cloves
- ½ – inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon cardamom seeds
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 3 large egg yolks
For the apple tart:
- 1 frozen puff pastry sheet
- 2 Granny Smith apples
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
Instructions
For the custard sauce:
- Add milk, cream, sugar and spices to a saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring continuously.
- Turn the heat off, cover and let sit for 30 minutes.
- Strain out the spices and discard.
- Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl, then whisk in the milk/cream mix.
- Transfer the mix back into the saucepan and, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, heat the custard on medium-low heat until it has thickened and is coating the back of the spoon (about 4 minutes). Be careful not to let the custard boil.*
- Let the sauce cool, then cover and store in the fridge. While the sauce cools, set the puff pastry out to thaw.
For the apple tart:
- Set the puff pastry sheet out to thaw for 40 minutes. When you have 10 minutes left, prepare the apples.
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Quarter, core and peel the apples, then slice them thinly.
- Melt the butter in a pan, then add the apple slices and cook until tender (~5 minutes).
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and the corn starch. Add the apple slices and mix around until evenly coated.
- Cut a 9-inch round out of the puff pastry and either lay it into a greased tart pan with removable bottom or lay it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Lay the apple slices on the puff pastry round. Discard any juices that are in the bowl.
- Set the tart pan on a baking sheet. Bake the tart until the apple slices are starting to brown around the edges and the crust is baked through (25-30 minutes).
- Serve the warm tart drizzled with the cold sauce.
Shinee
Aww, this tart looks and sounds so cozy, Nicole. I love the spices!! We have yet to get our first snow here in ND, but I’m sure it’ll be here any day now. For now, it’s just rainy. I’ll sure be making this tart soon enough, snow or not!
Nicole B.
I did really like the spices in this sauce, too! Enjoy the first snow, whenever it comes. :)
Kathleen | Hapa Nom Nom
You had me at chai spiced custard sauce. Aw man, I’d put that on all sorts of things! This is such a wonderful pairing, Nicole! And of course, the photos are stunning.
Nicole B.
Thank you so much, Kathleen! I honestly really love that sauce too and I think I’ll come up with more recipe to use it in. I actually ate the rest of it earlier straight and even that was delicious! :)
Fida | Sweet and Savoury Pursuits
This looks amazing, the custard sounds just perfect. Beautiful photo, though I don’t remember ever seeing a photograph that wasn’t beautiful on your blog :)
Nicole B.
Thank you so much, Fida! That is so nice of you to say! :)
Sandra @ Heavenly Home Cooking
Yum! This looks beautiful and sounds delicious. I love chai! This is the perfect fall dessert. :-)
Nicole B.
Thank you so much, Sandra! I love the chai flavors too! :)