How to Make an Impressive Tarte au Soleil with Handmade Pastry

Tarte au soleil is a French appetizer made of puff pastry and sweet or savoury fillings. It is made by sandwiching the filling in between two discs or pastry. The pastry is then sliced and twisted to create a unique design that resembles the Sun. Hence the name ‘sun tart’. It is usually made with store bought puff pastry because it’s super quick and easy, but you already know that we’re making our own as it will turn out that much better.

You can use any fillings you like as long as they’re not too wet. Pesto and mozzarella, tomato sauce and cheese, peanut butter or Nutella. It’s all up to your taste. The tart can be served with a dip too.

This recipe makes one giant tart (24cm; 10in) and another smaller one which can be made from the trimmings.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the pastry –

250g (8.8oz) white bread flour

3g (0.1oz) instant dry yeast or 3.6g (0.13oz) active dry yeast or 9g (0.32oz) fresh yeast

4g (0.14oz) salt

20g (0.7oz) soft butter

150g (5.3oz) water

For the layers –

2 x 100g (3.5oz) frozen butter sticks

1 egg for glazing

Seeds to sprinkle on top. I used linseeds.

For the filling –

150g (5.3oz) soft goat’s cheese

50g (1.75oz) olives

50g (1.75oz) sun-dried tomatoes

To learn more about no-knead bread dough temperature control click here.

The flour I use has a protein content of 13%. If your flour is weaker, then you may need to lower the hydration. 

If you are using active dry yeast, then you may need to let it sit in the water for 10 minutes before adding the other ingredients or else it could take a lot longer to raise the dough.

Method

1. Make the filling. Chop the olives and the sun-dried tomatoes and mix with the goat’s cheese. Leave in the fridge until needed.
2. Make the dough. Combine the water, yeast, salt, and butter. Mix well to dissolve the salt and yeast. Add the flour and mix to a dough. Desired dough temperature around 24C (75F).
3. Cover and ferment for 20 minutes.
4. Fold #1.
5. Ferment for 20 minutes.
6. Fold #2.
7. Ferment for 20 minutes.
8. Roll the dough out to a large rectangle. Grate one of the butter pieces evenly over 2/3 of the surface. Fold the dough into three layers.
9. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
10. Roll the dough out to a large rectangle once again. Grate the second piece of butter and repeat the same fold as previously. Repeat the rolling and folding two more times.
11. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. I left mine in the fridge overnight.
12. Shape the tart. Roll the dough out to slightly more than 48cm x 24cm (20in x 10in). Cut two 24cm (10in) discs out of it.
13. Spread ¾ of the filling on one of the discs. Place the second disc on top. Cut the sides of the dough into 16 strips and give each strip a full twist. Repeat the same with the trimmings.
14. Final proof 1.5 hours.
15. Brush the tart with egg, leave to dry for 5 minutes, and brush again. Sprinkle with seeds.
16. Bake at 190C (375F) fan on or 210C (410F) fan off for 25 minutes.

Leave to cool down and tuck in!