Peel & core 4 large apples and chop into medium size pieces.

Place chopped apple, cinnamon and 80g of castor sugar into a saucepan and bring to the boil over high heat and cook until sugar is dissolved. When sugar has melted, reduce heat to medium and simmer until apple is just soft. Remove from heat and put aside to cool.

Grease a 23cm tart shell tray. 

Use a 26cm round plate as a template to cut a circle. Line prepared tin with the pastry circle, gently pushing the pastry into base and sides of tin. Trim edges. Line the pastry with baking paper and fill with baking weights (or chickpeas), making sure you fill the weights to the top of your tart to support the sides during baking.  Place tart tin with pastry in freezer for 20mins.

Preheat oven to 200C. (190C fan forced)

Place tart tin in oven and bake for 12 minutes. Remove weights and baking paper. Reduce oven temperature to 180°C (170°C fan-forced) and bake for a further 10 minutes or until base of tart is golden. Set aside to cool completely.

Make the almond paste by combining the almond meal, 35g castor sugar, almond extract and egg whites. Mix well.

When the tart shell is cool, smooth the almond paste mixture across the bottom of the tart shell carefully making sure its spread evenly and covers all the bottom surface. Layer the poached cinnamon apples on top of the almond paste and spread evenly smoothing the top over so there are no air gaps.

Core the remaining two apples, leaving skin on and slice finely. Layer the slices around the inside of the tart overlapping each piece slightly. When the outside layer is full, create a second layer in the centre. Place in the centre of the oven at 180C and cook for 15 minutes until apples on top are cooked and golden.

Once cooked, take out of oven and set aside. 

Place the apricot jam and water in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat and mix well. While the tart is still warm, brush the top of the tart with apricot glaze mixture. 

When the tart is completely cool, remove from tart tin and place on a serving plate.

Serve with heavy cream or ice cream. 

By: Chrissy Rob