Croustade aux pommes
Photo: Nefertyna · CC BY 2.0

History

The croustade is a Gascon and Lauragais pastry tradition dating to at least the 16th century, with origins in North African pastilla brought across the Pyrenees. The signature is the gossamer-thin pastry, hand-stretched until transparent. The classic filling is apples with Armagnac, though prune versions exist. The dish travelled to Toulouse from the Gers and is sold across the city's bakeries.

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Common allergens: Gluten, Egg

Make it at home

Yield 8Hands-on 1 hrTotal 3 hrDifficulty Advanced

Ingredients

  • 300g plain flour
  • 1 egg
  • 10ml olive oil
  • 150ml warm water
  • Pinch of salt
  • 6 apples, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 50ml Armagnac
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 100g butter, melted, for brushing

Method

  1. Make the dough: combine flour, egg, oil, warm water and salt. Knead 10 minutes until silky.
  2. Rest the dough at room temperature for 1 hour, covered.
  3. Roll the dough on an oiled large floured cloth. Stretch with your hands until paper-thin, ideally transparent.
  4. Macerate the sliced apples with sugar, Armagnac and vanilla for 30 minutes.
  5. Cut the stretched dough into rough squares. Brush each with melted butter.
  6. Layer the buttered squares in a tart tin, with apples spread between each layer. Crumple the top layers for texture.
  7. Bake at 180C for 30 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden and the apple juices bubble.
  8. Cool 15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with a glass of Armagnac.

Tip from the editors. Stretching the dough is the critical step. If you cannot get it transparent, sub with brick-pastry sheets, which are the canonical commercial shortcut.

Where to eat croustade aux pommes

Croustade aux pommes in Toulouse

Maison Pillon ★ 4.5

€ BakeryPatisserie and violet candyCarmesWalk-in only

Maison Pillon on Rue Ozenne is the canonical Toulouse patisserie and chocolatier since 1967, famed for crystallised violet candy and the cachous de Toulouse.

Worth the queueBonbons a la violette de Toulouse

TipPick up violet candies and cachous de Toulouse for souvenirs; the apple croustade is the patisserie pick.

Directions

La Boulangerie Saint-Georges ★ 4.5

€ BakerySourdough breads and stone-ground loavesSaint GeorgesWalk-in only

La Boulangerie Saint-Georges on Place Saint-Georges has stood since 1840; since 2005 baker Francois Le Galo runs it and the shop is on the 100-best list.

Worth the queuePain de campagne au levain

TipOver twenty bread varieties plus pastries and made-to-order sandwiches; the pain de campagne is the canonical buy.

Directions

Maison Serres ★ 4.3

€ BakeryArtisan bread and pastry from local flourSaint CyprienWalk-in only

Maison Serres on Rue des Fontaines in Saint-Cyprien is the family bakery run by Thierry Serres and his wife and daughters, using local flour.

Worth the queuePain au levain

TipOpen continuously from 06:00 weekdays; the pain au levain and the mille-feuille are the canonical morning buys.

Directions

Au Poussin Bleu ★ 4.0

€ BakeryArtisan breadSaint EtienneWalk-in only

Au Poussin Bleu on Rue Saint-Antoine du T is the small artisan bakery with a rustic loaf range, a tight pastry case and a working-day Saint-Etienne crowd.

Worth the queuePain rustique

TipOpen daily except Sunday; the pain rustique and the croustade aux pommes are the canonical buys.

Directions

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