Agnes Hourigan's Apple Tart
If there's one recipe that started this whole collection, it's this one. My granny Agnes made an apple tart every single Sunday — Bramleys from the tree at the bottom of the garden, pastry rubbed by hand at the kitchen table, and that unmistakable smell filling the house by the time we got back from Mass.
She never wrote anything down. "A fistful of this, enough butter to feel right." It took us a good few Sundays of measuring as she went to finally pin it down — and here it is, exactly as she made it, tested until it works first time in your kitchen too.
The secret isn't fancy: cold butter, cold hands, and don't overwork the pastry. Proper Bramley cooking apples collapse into that soft, sharp-sweet filling you just can't get from eating apples. Serve it warm with a jug of custard or a scoop of cream, the way she always did.
Agnes Hourigan's Apple Tart
Short, buttery pastry and soft, lightly spiced Bramley apples — the original family Sunday tart.
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 225 g plain flour, plus extra to dust
- 110 g cold butter, cubed
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 2–3 tbsp cold water
For the filling
- 700 g Bramley apples, peeled & sliced
- 75 g caster sugar, plus extra to finish
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 egg, beaten, to glaze
Method
- Make the pastry. Rub the cold butter into the flour and sugar with your fingertips until it looks like fine breadcrumbs. Stir in cold water a tablespoon at a time, until it just comes together. Wrap and chill 20 minutes.
- Prep the apples. Peel, core and thinly slice the Bramleys. Toss with the sugar and cinnamon and set aside.
- Line the tin. Roll out just over half the pastry on a floured surface and line a 23 cm pie plate. Pile in the apples, doming them in the middle.
- Top & seal. Roll the rest into a lid. Dampen the rim, lay the lid over, press to seal and trim. Cut two small steam slits and crimp the edge with a fork.
- Glaze & bake. Brush with beaten egg, scatter with sugar, and bake at 190°C (fan 170°C / gas 5) for 30–35 minutes until deep golden. Cool 15 minutes, then serve warm with custard or cream.
Pop the lined tin back in the fridge for 10 minutes before baking — cold pastry hitting a hot oven is the secret to a crisp, never-soggy base.
Tips for the perfect tart
Keep it cold
Cold butter and cold water keep the pastry short and flaky. Warm hands are pastry's enemy.
Don't overwork
Stop mixing the moment it holds together. Overworked dough turns tough and shrinks in the tin.
Bramleys are best
Cooking apples collapse into that soft, sharp filling. Eating apples stay firm and need less sugar.
Questions, answered
Can I use eating apples instead of Bramleys?
You can, but reduce the sugar a little — eating apples are sweeter and hold their shape more. For that classic soft, tart filling, Bramleys are best.
Why is my pastry tough?
Usually too much water or over-handling. Add water a tablespoon at a time, stop as soon as it comes together, and always chill before rolling.
Can I make it ahead or freeze it?
Yes. Assemble the tart and freeze unbaked for up to 3 months; bake from frozen, adding 10–15 minutes. A baked tart keeps 3 days, covered, and warms beautifully.
What should I serve with it?
Warm with custard is the classic. A scoop of vanilla ice cream or a jug of softly whipped cream are every bit as good.