Terrific Tarte Tatin
So recently I made some puff pastry from scratch (see Perfect Puff Pastry) and I really wanted to get the best use out of it so what could be better, I thought, that a classic tarte tatin? Answer: Nothing.
This dish is GLORIOUS. It is everything desserts should be and more. It's the sort of thing I could sit and devour in one sitting and just feel great about myself. It's sweet, it's sticky, it's slightly tangy and the crispy, buttery, incredibly flaky puff pastry makes it all the more brilliant. Apples are great at this time of year and there's something quite Christmassy about cooked fruit in pastry of any kind but of course this recipe can be adapted year round to include fruits such as peaches or pears or even pineapple (and other fruits that don't begin with 'p'!). I cannot implore you enough to make this dessert - it is truly sensational.
Terrific Tarte Tatin
Serves 8
plain flour , for dusting
500g puff pastry
5 small eating apples (approximately 800g), a mixture of sweet and acidic varieties
100g golden caster sugar
100ml Calvados (optional)
1 vanilla pod, halved lengthways, seeds scraped out
50g butter, cubed
Preheat your oven to 190˚C/375˚F/gas 5.
Dust a clean surface and a rolling pin with flour and roll out your puff pastry until it's just over 0.5cm thick. This will be enough to cover the ovenproof frying pan you'll be cooking the tarte tatin in, leaving about 5cm extra around the edge. Put the pastry to one side for now.
Peel your apples, then halve them horizontally and use a teaspoon to get rid of the seeds and core. Put the ovenproof pan on a medium heat and add the sugar, Calvados (if you're using it), vanilla seeds and pod. Let the sugar dissolve and cook until the mixture forms a light caramel. Once the caramel looks is a dark golden brown, add your halved apples. Carefully stir everything in the pan, being careful not to touch the caramel, and cook for about 5 minutes or until the apples start to soften. Add the cubed butter, then lay the pastry over the top. Quickly and carefully tuck the pastry down right into the edges – it's best to use a wooden spoon so you don't touch the caramel.
Bake the tarte Tatin for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden, with crispy caramel pieces bubbling up from under the edges. Get a serving plate or board larger than your pan and put an oven glove on to protect the arm holding the board. Put the board or plate on top of the pan, then quickly, carefully and confidently flip it over to turn it out.Put it to one side for a few minutes, so the caramel can cool down, then divide it up and serve with a spoonful of crème fraîche or ice cream. I like to plonk mine in the middle of the table for everyone to help themselves because I think it looks truly impressive before it's cut up.
This dish is GLORIOUS. It is everything desserts should be and more. It's the sort of thing I could sit and devour in one sitting and just feel great about myself. It's sweet, it's sticky, it's slightly tangy and the crispy, buttery, incredibly flaky puff pastry makes it all the more brilliant. Apples are great at this time of year and there's something quite Christmassy about cooked fruit in pastry of any kind but of course this recipe can be adapted year round to include fruits such as peaches or pears or even pineapple (and other fruits that don't begin with 'p'!). I cannot implore you enough to make this dessert - it is truly sensational.
Terrific Tarte Tatin
Serves 8plain flour , for dusting
500g puff pastry
5 small eating apples (approximately 800g), a mixture of sweet and acidic varieties
100g golden caster sugar
100ml Calvados (optional)
1 vanilla pod, halved lengthways, seeds scraped out
50g butter, cubed
Preheat your oven to 190˚C/375˚F/gas 5.
Dust a clean surface and a rolling pin with flour and roll out your puff pastry until it's just over 0.5cm thick. This will be enough to cover the ovenproof frying pan you'll be cooking the tarte tatin in, leaving about 5cm extra around the edge. Put the pastry to one side for now.
Peel your apples, then halve them horizontally and use a teaspoon to get rid of the seeds and core. Put the ovenproof pan on a medium heat and add the sugar, Calvados (if you're using it), vanilla seeds and pod. Let the sugar dissolve and cook until the mixture forms a light caramel. Once the caramel looks is a dark golden brown, add your halved apples. Carefully stir everything in the pan, being careful not to touch the caramel, and cook for about 5 minutes or until the apples start to soften. Add the cubed butter, then lay the pastry over the top. Quickly and carefully tuck the pastry down right into the edges – it's best to use a wooden spoon so you don't touch the caramel.
Bake the tarte Tatin for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden, with crispy caramel pieces bubbling up from under the edges. Get a serving plate or board larger than your pan and put an oven glove on to protect the arm holding the board. Put the board or plate on top of the pan, then quickly, carefully and confidently flip it over to turn it out.Put it to one side for a few minutes, so the caramel can cool down, then divide it up and serve with a spoonful of crème fraîche or ice cream. I like to plonk mine in the middle of the table for everyone to help themselves because I think it looks truly impressive before it's cut up.
Comments
Post a Comment