Instructions: If making the pastry by hand rub the butter into the flour and icing sugar until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs then stir in the beaten egg and bring together to form a dough.

If made in a processor combine the flour butter and icing sugar in the bowl then process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Pour in the beaten egg and pulse the blade until the dough starts to form a ball around the central stem.

Form the pastry into a smooth ball put inside a plastic bag and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll out and line a round flan tin about 280 x 40mm in the usual way forming a small lip round the edge.

Chill the tin for a further 30 minutes.

To prepare the filling beat the eggs caster sugar lemon rind and juice together in a large mixing bowl.

Stir in the warm melted butter then coarsely grate the cooking apples directly into the mixture and mix well.

Have ready the thinly sliced dessert apples.

Remove the tart tin from the fridge and spread the runny lemon mixture in the base.

Level the surface with the back of a spoon and arrange the dessert apple slices around the outside edge nearly overlapping.

Sprinkle the apple slices with demerara sugar.

Slide the tart on to the floor of the roasting oven and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes until the pastry is golden brown then slide in the cold plain shelf on the second set of runners and bake for a further 15 to 20 minutes until the apple slices are tinged brown.

Transfer to the simmering oven for a further 10 minutes until the filling is set.

This is quite the best apple tart I know. A deep tart shell of crisp buttery pastry filled with a magical mixture that is like tarte au citron combined with grated apples. It freezes well too. If you havent time to arrange the dessert apples on the top worry not it will taste the same. You can use bought shortcrust pastry (a 500g pack) if short of time.

Serves 10

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