30 minutes before you are ready to start, remove the puff pastry from the freezer. Wrap it in a clean towel and let it sit out to thaw for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375ºF.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Lightly flour a work surface and lay the puff pastry on the surface. Use a rolling pin to roll out the puff pastry to a 9x14-inch rectangle. Transfer the puff pastry to the lined baking dish.

Take a sharp knife (I like to use a paring knife) and score the edges of the puff pastry, making a 1-inch border around the puff pastry. You don’t want to cut through the pastry completely, just make a score.

Add a splash of water to the beaten egg, then brush the egg wash over the entire puff pastry. (You won’t need to use the whole egg, just use enough to evenly coat the pastry.) Set aside.

Peel the apples and cut into slices. Place in a large bowl. Squeeze the lemon juice over the apples and stir to combine.

In another bowl, melt the butter. Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add the brown sugar mixture to the apples and stir to combine and coat the apples.

Arrange the apples over the puff pastry, making sure to keep them off of the scored border. If there is any of the brown sugar mixture left in the bowl, sprinkle it over the top of the apples.

Place the tart in the oven to bake for 10 minutes.

While the tart is baking, prepare the topping.

In a medium saucepan, combine the almonds, butter, sugar, flour and half and half. Cook over medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture is hot, but do not boil.

Remove the tart from the oven and spread the tosca topping over the apples. Return the tart to the oven and cook an additional 15 minutes, or until the pastry and the almond topping are both browned and cooked.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before cutting and serving.

Serve topped with fresh whipped cream, if desired.