5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1⁄2 cup sugar
3⁄4 cup ground almonds (aka almond meal or almond our)

1 egg

1⁄8 teaspoon almond extract

1 package (about 1 pound) all-butter puff pastry, defrosted

2 apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

3 tablespoons honey

1. Fluff: Beat 4 tablespoons butter and the sugar until light and uffy. Beat in, in order: almonds, egg, and almond extract.

2. Cut: Unfold puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Cut into 8 sections (squares are efficient, but circles suggest apple). Set pastry on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

3. Fill: Spread a generous spoonful of almond cream onto each tart, leaving a 1⁄2-inch border bare. Arrange apples over the cream in a pleasing pattern. Melt together the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and the honey; drizzle over apples.

4. Bake: Slide into a 400-degree oven and bake until golden and thoroughly puffed, about 20 minutes. Serve warm.