Tarte Tatin for Bastille Day

There were so many things that I could have made but in the end a bag of of apples was the decider. There are many versions of this classic dessert but this is my version developed over many years. Most recipes use only butter in the caramel but I like to use cream and butter. The brandy is not essential but does add to the flavour.

An even simpler dessert is caramelised apples, forget the pastry and serve the apples with vanilla icecream or cream.

How To Make Tarte Tatin 

This is quite easy to make but care must be taken when making the caramel. The sugar needs to become a light golden brown, do not let it become too dark as it will taste burnt/bitter.

Sugar and brandy cooking over low heat

The sugar caramelising or starting to go brown. Cream and butter to make the caramel.

Apples cooking in the caramel.













Pastry circle placed over apple mixture






Baked tarte tatin









Serving plate placed over tarte tatin and ready to invert.








the tarte turned out  onto the serving plate.

Tarte Tatin

½ cup caster sugar or raw sugar 2 tablespoons brandy or water 2 tablespoons cream 1 tablespoon butter

4 - 6 apples 2 - 4 sheets puff pastry, defrosted

Method

Pre heat oven to 200 deg C

Peel apples and cut into halves or quarters, remove seeds.

Place sugar and brandy/water in a shallow frypan and place over low heat, swish around to help dissolve the sugar but do not stir. As the mixture dissolves increase the heat and continue cooking until the mixture starts to go brown, stirring once or twice.

Add cream, mix through and then the butter and stir again. Remove from heat.

Place apple pieces into the caramel mixture, flat side on the bottom of the pan and arrange in a decorative manner.

Cook over low heat until apples are starting to soften, approximately ten minutes. I spoon a little of the caramel over the apples as they are cooking but this is not essential.

Remove the plastic from the puff pastry sheets and place on top of each other. Trace out a large circle shape that is the size of the frypan.

Remove pan from heat and carefully place the pastry circle on top of the apples. Use a knife to push the edges down into the caramel.

Place in a hot oven, 200 deg C and bake until pastry is golden brown and puffed, approximately 15 -20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let it stand for 5 -10 minutes. This allows the caramel to firm slightly.

Place a large serving plate over the pan and carefully invert the tart. The caramel is very hot and will burn if it gets on your hands so make sure that the plate is big enough to catch any caramel that runs out.

alternative method for individual Tarte Tatins or to bake in a cake tin

Grease and line cake tins with baking parchment.

Cook the apples in the caramel. Using a slotted spoon carefully remove the apples from the caramel. Pour the caramel into small shallow cake tins. Arrange apples in a decorative manner. Bake. Invert cake tins onto serving plates and carefully remove baking parchment.