Croustade aux Pommes et Calvados (Apple Croustade with Calvados)
A rustic Normandy-style apple pastry featuring caramelized apples, flaky pastry, and warm notes of Calvados brandy. Perfect for autumn gatherings.
Nutrition
Calories: 380cal
Carbohydrate: 48g
Protein: 4g
Fat: 18g
Cholesterol: – -mg
Sodium: – -mg
Difficulty Level: moderate
30 min Prep
40 min Cook
1 hr 10 min Total
6 -8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 package (14 oz) frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 4 medium baking apples (e.g., Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup Calvados brandy
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
- 2 tbsp apricot jam (optional, for glaze)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make filling: Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Add apples, granulated sugar, and lemon juice. Cook 8-10 minutes until apples soften.
- Carefully add Calvados to skillet (away from flame). Let alcohol cook off 1 minute. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Cook 3 more minutes. Remove from heat.
- Roll pastry: On floured surface, roll puff pastry into 12″ circle. Transfer to baking sheet. Tip: Keep pastry cold – chill 10 minutes if too sticky.
- Assemble: Arrange apples in spiral pattern on pastry, leaving 2″ border. Fold edges over apples, pleating as you go. Tip: Let apple mixture cool slightly to prevent soggy pastry.
- Make egg wash: Beat egg with 1 tsp water. Brush pastry edges. Bake 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
- Optional glaze: Warm apricot jam with 1 tsp water. Brush over apples after baking.
- Cool 15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.