Tarte Tatin
A classic French upside-down caramelized apple tart baked under puff pastry and inverted onto a serving plate. Apples are caramelized in sugar and butter before being covered with pastry and baked until golden.
Steps
- 1
Roll the puff pastry to a 3mm-thick round on a lightly floured surface and cut a 24cm circle, using a plate as a guide. Lightly prick all over with a fork, wrap in cling film on a baking sheet and freeze while preparing the apples.
- 2
Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/gas 4. Peel, quarter and core the apples. Put the sugar in a flameproof 20cm ceramic Tatin dish or a 20cm ovenproof heavy-based frying pan and place over medium-high heat. Cook the sugar for 5–7 minutes to a dark amber caramel syrup that’s starting to smoke, then turn off the heat and stir in the 60g diced chilled butter.
- 3
To assemble the Tarte Tatin, arrange the apple quarters very tightly in a circle around the edge of the dish first, rounded-side down, then fill in the middle in a similar fashion. Gently press with your hands to ensure there are no gaps. Brush the fruit with the melted butter.
- 4
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, then remove and place the disc of frozen puff pastry on top – it will quickly defrost. Tuck the edges down the inside of the dish and, with a knife, prick a few holes in the pastry to allow steam to escape. Bake for a further 40–45 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and crisp.
- 5
Allow to cool to room temperature for 1 hour before running a knife around the edge of the dish and inverting it onto a large serving plate that is deep enough to contain the juices. Serve with crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.
