Tart Tatin With Brandy Cream Food

THE WORLD-FAMOUS TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F/190 degrees C/gas 5. Dust a clean surface and a rolling pin with flour and roll out your puff pastry until it's just over 1/4-inch/0.5cm thick. This will be enough to cover the ovenproof frying pan you'll be cooking the tarte Tatin in, leaving about 2 inches/5 cm 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, vanilla seeds, and pod. Let the sugar dissolve and cook until the mixture forms a light caramel. Once the caramel looks and smells delicious - it should be a lovely chestnut brown - add your halved apples. Carefully stir everything in the pan and cook for about 5 minutes or until the apples start to soften and you get a toffee apple vibe happening. 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 caramelly pieces bubbling up from under the edges. Take it out of the oven. To make it look like a tarte Tatin you need to turn it out, which isn't hard - but you do need to be careful with that hot caramel. So 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 turn it out (remember you can go to www.jamieoliver.com/how-to and see a video of how to do this safely). 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 creme fraiche or ice cream.

FRENCH-STYLE APPLE TART (TARTE TATIN) RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Using a 9-inch (23 cm) flat-sided cake pan as a template, cut a circle out from the puff pastry. Using a fork, poke holes all over to provide ventilation. Set aside.
• Peel and quarter the apples, using a spoon or melon baller to remove the cores.
• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
• In a large saucepan over medium heat, distribute the water and sugar evenly and cook until light amber in color, stirring to help melt any lumps, 5-7 minutes. Add the butter, stirring constantly until the color is a creamy light brown. Add the apples, stirring until they are coated in a thick layer of caramel.
• Cook for about 15-20 minutes, turning the apples constantly so that they bathe in the caramel. Remove from the heat when the caramel has reduced and little remains in the bottom of the pan. Be careful not to burn the caramel, tasting it from time to time to ensure it does not taste bitter.
• Arrange the apple slices in concentric circles on the bottom of the cake pan. Press the apples tightly against each other, then pour the remaining caramel over the top.
• Lay the circle of puff pastry on top. Tuck the puff pastry down the sides of the pan.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and firm. Cool for about 1 hour, then invert onto a plate.
• Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream.
• Enjoy!

TARTE TATIN WITH BRANDIED CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Make pastry:
• Blend flour, sugar and salt in processor. Add butter; cut in using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 1/2 tablespoons water and blend until moist clumps form, adding more water by 1/2 tablespoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap dough in plastic; chill until firm enough to roll, at least 30 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)
• Make apple filling:
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Fill large skillet with ice cubes; set aside. Combine sugar and butter in 10-inch-diameter, 2-inch-deep skillet. Cook over medium heat until mixture is deep amber and smooth, stirring often and almost constantly the last 3 minutes, about 16 minutes (after about 12 minutes, butter and sugar will separate and sugar will begin to melt and darken). Immediately place skillet onto ice to stop color from deepening. When caramel is cold and brittle, transfer skillet to work surface.
• Arrange apple wedges close together, rounded side down, in concentric circles atop caramel in pan. Press remaining apples, rounded side up, atop first layer. Roll out pastry on lightly floured surface to 12-inch round. Place pastry atop apples, tucking in edges around apples. Bake until pastry is golden brown and juices are bubbling at sides of pan, about 55 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Place platter over skillet. Using oven mitts as aid, hold platter and skillet together and invert tart onto platter. Rearrange any apples that may have become dislodged. Let stand up to 30 minutes.
• Brush apples generously with some warm Brandied Caramel Sauce. Serve tart, passing remaining sauce separately.