Classic Tarte Tatin Food

CLASSIC TARTE TATIN IN A CAST-IRON SKILLET

Steps:

• To make the dough in a food processor, combine the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and shortening and pulse until reduced to ½ inch pieces. Add the water a little at a time and pulse until the dough just begins to come together in a rough mass.
• To make the dough by hand, combine the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and shortening and toss to coat with the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut the pieces of fat into the flour mixture until they are no larger than small peas. Distribute the water over the mixture and toss with a fork until the dough is evenly moist and begins to come together in a rough mass.
• Transfer the dough to a work surface and shape into a 5-inch disk. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours.
• Lightly dust a work surface and rolling pin with flour. Roll out the chilled dough into a 12-inch round a scant ¼ inch think. Lift and turn the dough several times as you roll to prevent s sticking, and dust the surface and rolling pin with additional flour as needed. Use a dough scraper or icing spatula to loosen the pastry if it sticks. Trim this dough into an 11-inch round. Slide a rimless baking sheet under the dough, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
• Preheat an oven to 375 degrees.
• To make the filling, set a 10-inch straight-sided, ovenproof fry pan, preferably cast iron, over medium heat and melt the butter. When it melts, sprinkle the sugar evenly over the butter and continue cooking until the sugar melts and turns amber colored, 3 to 4 minutes. Shake and swirl the pan frequently to redistribute the sugar for even melting and caramelization.
• Arrange the apples, side up, in the caramel in a snug, even layer. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the apples are just tender about 15 minutes. The caramel will bubble up around the apples. Remove the pan from the heat.
• Uncover the pastry round. When the bubbling has subsided, slide both hands under the pastry round and carefully place it on top of the apples, tucking in the edges and being careful not to burn your fingers. Bake until the crust is golden brown. About 30 minutes.
• Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 6 minutes. Place a large flat serving plate upside down on top of the pan and invert the pan and plate together. Lift off the pan. Slice and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
• ***It's really not essential to take this apple creation from your skillet - serve it from your cast iron and you'll feel authentic. Kinda romantic to be so casual about something so yummy.

CLASSIC TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• On a lightly floured surface, and using a floured rolling pin, roll puff pastry into a 10 1/2 inch square. Brush off excess flour. Using a plate as a guide, cut a 10-inch round. Tranfer pastry round to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, coat bottom and sides of a 10-inch skillet with 4 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle sugar evenly over bottom. Arrange apple slices closely together in concentric circles in skillet, with rounded sides down. Place over medium-high heat, and cook without stirring, until juices are deep golden and bubbling, 18-20 minutes.
• Line oven rack with foil to catch any juice, and place skillet on foil. Bake for 20 minutes (apples will settle slightly). Remove from oven and place pastry round over apples, bake until pastry is dark golden brown 23-28 minutes. let cool in skillet on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.
• Invert tart on a serving dish. Gently remove any apples that may stick to skillet, and place on tart. Serve with Crème Fraîche.

TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• Roll the 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, place on a baking sheet, then cover and freeze while preparing the apples.
• Heat 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 a medium-high heat. Cook the sugar for 5-7 mins to a dark amber caramel syrup that's starting to smoke, then turn off the heat and stir in the 60g diced chilled butter.
• 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.
• Bake in the oven for 30 mins, 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 mins until the pastry is golden brown and crisp.
• Allow to cool to room temperature for 1 hr 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.

CLASSIC TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a lightly floured surface and using a floured rolling pin, roll puff pastry into a 10 1/2-inch square. Brush off excess flour. Using a plate as a guide, cut out a 10-inch round. Transfer pastry round to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, coat bottom and sides of a 10-inch skillet with the 4 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle sugar evenly over bottom. Arrange apple slices closely together in concentric circles in skillet, with rounded sides down. Place over medium-high heat, and cook, without stirring, until juices are deep golden and bubbling, 18 to 20 minutes.
• Line oven rack with foil to catch any juices, and place skillet on foil. Bake for 20 minutes (apples will settle slightly). Remove from oven, and place pastry round over apples. Bake until pastry is dark golden brown, 23 to 28 minutes. Let cool in skillet on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.
• Invert tart onto a serving dish. Gently remove any apples that stick to skillet, and place on tart. Serve warm, with creme fraiche.

TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a heavy-bottom 10-inch ovenproof or cast-iron skillet, stir together the 3/4 cup sugar and the vinegar. Scrape the vanilla seeds into the skillet (save the vanilla bean for another use). Heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved. Cook over medium heat, without stirring, for 5 minutes, or until the mixture is amber in color (like a brown paper bag). Remove from the heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and swirl until the butter has melted. Let cool for 10 minutes.
• Carefully arrange the apples over the sugar mixture in concentric circles, being careful not to touch the hot sugar mixture. Dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
• Place the puff pastry over the apples and tuck the sides down around the apples. Sprinkle the 1 tablespoon sugar over the dough. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and crisp and the pan juices are bubbling. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully invert onto a rimmed cake plate to serve.