Prepare the apple slices and leave in a large bowl of cold water with the juice of 1 lemon to prevent browning.
Microwave the apples until just soft enough to bend slightly (about 3 to 5 minutes)
Grease and flour a 22 to 24cm tart tin.
Roll or press the shortcrust pastry into the tart tin.
On the bottom of the pastry add either apple puree/apricot jam or creme patisserie.
Preheat the oven to 180ºc
Then starting from the outside, stand up the apple half moons, slightly overlapping, around the edge and gradually work inwards. This takes a while but listen to a podcast or Radio 4 while you are doing it. Sit yourself down. Get comfortable.
When you get to the middle, use the thinnest apple slices, bending them into a rosebud shape.
Brush diluted apricot jam over the apple slices
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes
Dust with icing sugar