While shopping at the neighborhood grocery store last week I bumped into a tall leggy blonde, the mother of one my daughter’s friends (there is no way to get through my store without running into at least ten people I know; I’m fairly sure there would be ten people YOU would know). She wistfully said “I still remember that incredible apple tart you baked for home day back in the second grade”. As our children are now eighth-graders, I was blown away that this woman longingly recalled what I brought into a full classroom of lively second-graders and their parents some six years ago. She continued, “The parents were always excited when your daughter was in the class because you were just about the only mom who ever brought real homemade treats for classroom events”. Thinking back, I believe that to be the truth. I remember seeing a lot of frosted candied artificial everything, and I loathed it. About the closest I ever came to cutesy treats was when I came in armed with homemade hot chocolate and pink marshmallows for a Valentine’s Day party. But they were from-scratch homemade pink marshmallows and the kids thought the concept of actually making your own marshmallows was pretty cool.

I truly don’t know many moms (or dads) in my daughter’s school district who like to cook or bake much. I think many believe that they just don’t have the time. Well, they do have the time, and maybe not so much the inclination. It takes just as much or more time, and likely greater expense to hit the grocery, purchase a box full of chemically-laden cake mix, equally nasty canned frosting, food coloring and sprinkles and make something dreadful to eat as it does to make this lovely golden, buttery, delicious real apple tart. One that they’ll still reminisce upon six years later.

The crispy base to this tart aux pommes of elementary school memories is a workhorse in my kitchen; the pate brisee. It is easy, easy, easy (do I sound like Nanny from Eloise when I speak in triplicates?) to throw together, can be prepared in minutes a day ahead of use, and serves equally as well as a base for savory tarts and as the top-that-becomes-the-bottom in one of my favorite desserts ever, the equally real tart tatin.

The filling in this preparation could not be more basic or more satisfying. Thinly sliced peeled and cored apples are topped with sweet butter that has been whipped with a little honey, sugar, lemon juice and zest, and some scraped vanilla bean seeds. Reserve a tablespoon or so of the mixture to grace the tart with a final coat of shimmer and love as it emerges hot from the oven.

Pate Brisee
Adapted from the Buttery Apple Tart recipe found in Flo Braker’s The Simple Art Of Perfect Baking, adapted from Jacques Pepin’s apple galette via Heidi Robb
Serves 12-14

2 cups (280 grams) unsifted, unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) chilled, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
6-10 tablespoons ice water

Place the flour and salt into the bowl of a food processor with the metal blade in place. Pulse a few seconds to combine. Scatter in the cubes of butter and pulse until butter becomes pea-sized.
Pulse in the water by tablespoons until the dough can hold together nicely when squeezed between your thumb and fingers without being dry and crumbly. Dump the contents onto a large piece of plastic wrap and press into a 6″ square. Wrap well and refrigerate a minimum of two hours.

To bake, preheat the oven to 450, rack set in the lower third. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured counter or board, place on a lightly greased sheet pan, top with filling ingredients, folding excess over (a described in the photo). Bake 45-50 minutes, or until crust is golden and feels crisp. Remove from the oven and cool on rack.