Apple and almond tart with thyme

Fruity, buttery and fragrant with vanilla and thyme, this is a chic but very simple dessert inspired by the French classic tarte fine aux pommes. A scoop of vanilla ice cream or cloud of sweetened whipped cream (spiked with Calvados if you’re feeling fancy) would be perfect on the side.

1 sheet of all-butter puff pastry, about 300g

50g ground almonds

30g caster sugar

1 vanilla pod, split in half lengthways and seeds scraped out

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

4 eating apples, about 400g

squeeze of lemon juice

2 tsp Demerara sugar

15g unsalted butter

few thyme sprigs

Serves: 4 – 6 | Takes: 40 minutes, plus 20 minutes chilling

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F and line a 30 x 20 x 5-cm roasting tray with baking parchment.

Trim the pastry into a 20 x 30-cm rectangle and transfer to the prepared tray. Mark out a 1-cm border with the back of a knife and prick the area inside the border all over with a fork.

Mix the almonds, caster sugar, vanilla seeds and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Break up any clumps of vanilla seeds by rubbing them between your fingers, as for butter into flour. Sprinkle evenly inside the pastry border. Chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.

Working quickly, peel, quarter and core the apples, then finely slice them, ideally on a mandoline. Transfer to a bowl as you go, tossing with a little lemon juice to prevent discolouration.

Tightly arrange overlapping apple slices in rows within the pastry border – if you’re feeling artistic, place them all facing the same way, like fish scales. Sprinkle over the Demerara sugar, then dot with tiny pieces of the butter. Arrange the thyme sprigs on top and bake for 25 minutes, or until puffed and golden.