A French classic which is the ultimate in upside-down desserts. A combination of soft caramelised apples and puff pastry, we are told it originates from the two Tatin sisters who ran a small hotel in the Loire Valley region of France in the late 1800s. It has been adapted by chefs over the years to include other fruit such as plums or pears ... I think apples are best.
This is a recipe I found in my mother's book, scribbled on to a piece of paper by one of my children, presumably for me! I have adapted it slightly. You will need a tarte tatin dish or a 20cm heavy-based ovenproof frying pan
50g unsalted butter
50g light muscovado sugar
1kg dessert apples, cored peeled and quartered
(this is about 5-6 medium sized apples)
approx 300g puff pastry
I used a store bought ready-made all butter puff pastry sheet
Preheat the oven to 200ºC
The first thing to do is to cut a circle out of your pastry, slightly larger than the pan, and place it in the fridge until you're ready to use it.
Put the sugar into your pan with a small amount of water and place on the hob. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and is starting to colour. Take off the heat and add the butter until it melts into the mix. Now add the apples, round side down, filling in any gaps with smaller pieces of apple. Return to the heat and cook gently for 15-20 minutes on a medium heat until the apples have caramelised and are golden. Keep an eye on it as you don't want the sugar to burn. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Take the pastry out of the fridge and carefully place it on top of the apples, tucking the edges in all around the fruit. Prick the top of the pastry a few times to let the steam out and place it in the oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the pastry is crisp and brown.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before turning it out onto your serving plate. Serve warm with whipped cream or crème fraîche. Divine!
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