French tarts are wonderful. They are easy, fun, and mmmmmm.  This recipe shows you how to take a french tart to new levels.  It’ll show you things you never thought possible.  Nothing like a french tart to help you expand your horizons and make the family happy!

Pastry

1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (50 ml) icing sugar
Pinch salt
1/3 cup (75 ml) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tbsp (25 ml) cold water
1 large egg yolk

Filling

1-2 lbs apples cored and thinly sliced
1-2 lbs pears cored and thinly sliced
2 tbsp (30 ml) melted butter
1 cup (250 ml) sliced dried apricots
½ cup (125 ml) brown sugar
¼ cup (50 ml) white sugar
pinch of salt
1tsp (5 ml) cinnamon
2 tbsp brandy (optional)

Pastry:

• Combine flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl or a food processor, add butter and cut or pulse it in until it resembles small peas. Beat water and egg yolk together until uniform and add just enough to bring the pastry together into a ball (it may need slightly more or less liquid depending on the level of humidity in the air). Wrap pastry in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes.

• Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Roll out pastry on a floured work surface and fit into a 9-inch (23-cm) tart pan. Cut away excess pastry. Prick pastry base with a fork, line with foil and fill with pie weights. Place tart pan on a baking sheet and
bake for 15 minutes, remove weights and bake for 8 minutes more
or until pastry looks pale and dry but not cooked through. Cool.

Filling:
• Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

• Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss together. Spread filling into the tart shell until level or lower than the edge.

• Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove and cool on a wire rack. Once cool slice and serve.