Apple Tart

Instructions

1. Make the pâte sucrée: In a food processor, combine flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt; pulse briefly to mix.
2. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter.
3. Add the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of ice water; pulse just until the dough begins to come together. Add remaining water if needed, one teaspoon at a time.
4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface; press into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface to about 12 inches (30 cm). Gently fit into a 9-inch (23 cm) tart pan with removable bottom. Trim excess dough and prick the bottom with a fork.
6. Chill the dough-lined tart pan in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Then line with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
7. Bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove weights and parchment, and bake another 10-12 minutes until golden. Let cool completely on a rack.
8. Make the pastry cream: In a medium saucepan, heat the milk with the scraped vanilla bean seeds and pod just to a simmer. Remove from heat; let infuse for 10 minutes.
9. In a bowl, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks until pale and smooth.
10. Remove the vanilla pod from the milk. Gradually whisk hot milk into the egg mixture to temper, then return the mixture to the saucepan.
11. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and bubbles. Continue cooking for 1 minute to fully activate the starch.
12. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Transfer to a clean bowl, cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin, and chill until cold, about 1 hour.
13. Core and peel the apples. Slice very thinly (about 1/8 inch or 3 mm). To prevent browning, toss slices with a tablespoon of lemon juice if desired.
14. Spread the chilled pastry cream evenly in the cooled tart shell. Arrange apple slices on top in overlapping concentric circles from the outside edge to the center.
15. In a small saucepan, gently heat apricot jam with water until melted and smooth. Strain if needed and brush glaze over the arranged apples to give shine and seal.
16. Chill the assembled tart for 30 minutes before serving.