A wonderful combination of apples, cognac & almond.

Preheat oven to 425° F.

Make the almond cream: Combine ingredients in order.

With a 6-inch round plate as a guide and using a sharp knife or pizza wheel, cut 4 rounds out of the puff pastry. Place the rounds on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper and use a fork to prick the centre of each pastry round. Brush with butter and sprinkle each round with sugar and a pinch of cinnamon. Add a thin layer of the Frangipane cream in the center, leaving the edges clear.

Arrange apple slices in overlapping rows across the circles. Brush with butter & sprinkle each tart with 1 teaspoon of sugar and a pinch of fresh thyme.

Bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until the edges are puffed and golden. Brush each tart with warm apricot jam, if desired. Serve immediately with vanilla ice cream, if desired.