Tarte Tatin

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 200°C. Cut the puff pastry into a circle slightly larger than your 18 cm ovenproof frying pan or tarte Tatin dish, then chill it while you prepare the apples. Lightly dust the work surface if needed so the pastry stays cold and does not stick.

2. 2

   Arrange the apple halves rounded side down on a board. If they are very large, trim them so they can fit snugly in a single layer; tight packing is important because the fruit shrinks as it cooks.

3. 3

   Set the pan over medium heat and add the butter, caster sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes, swirling the pan rather than stirring, until the butter melts and the sugar begins to dissolve into a bubbling syrup.

4. 4

   Nestle the apples tightly into the pan, cut side up. Cook over medium heat for 10-12 minutes, spooning caramel over them occasionally, until the apples begin to soften and the caramel turns a deep amber. Reduce the heat if the caramel darkens too fast; it should smell nutty, not bitter.

5. 5

   Remove the pan from the heat. Lay the chilled pastry over the apples and tuck the edges down around the fruit with a spoon or spatula. Cut a small steam slit in the centre so the pastry can puff evenly.

6. 6

   Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the pastry is deeply golden and crisp and you can see thick caramel bubbling at the edges. If the pastry colours too quickly before it looks fully cooked, lower the oven to 190°C for the last few minutes.

7. 7

   Rest the tart for 5 minutes so the caramel settles slightly but is still fluid enough to release cleanly. Run a knife around the edge, place a plate over the pan, and carefully invert in one confident motion. Lift off the pan and reposition any apples if needed.

8. 8

   Serve warm, spooning any caramel from the pan over the top, with crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream alongside.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •Use firm apples that hold their shape, such as Braeburn, Pink Lady, or Granny Smith; soft dessert apples can collapse into purée.
• •An 18 cm pan is ideal for 2 servings and helps create enough depth for good caramelisation without overcooking the pastry.
• •Keep the puff pastry cold until it goes into the oven for the best rise and crisp layers.
• •Take care when unmoulding: hot caramel can cause serious burns.

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