TART TATIN

We tried our hand at a tart tatin a few days ago. Sadly we didn't take a pic - it was a bloody beauty and came out like the photo above.

Anyway we used this recipe as a base.

3 Golden Delicious apples
1 tbs lemon juice 
1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
20g unsalted butter, chopped
Ready-rolled puff pastry sheet
Cream, to serve

1. Preheat oven to 220C (200C fan-forced)

2. Peel apples, cut into quarters, remove cores (cutting each quarter at the core so it has a "flat" side), and toss the quarters in a large bowl with the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of the sugar.

3. Using a 20cm frying pan as a guide cut pastry into a round slightly larger than the pan, prick with a fork.

4. Melt  butter in a 20cm non-stick frypan over medium-high heat. Cover with the remaining sugar. Cook over medium-low heat, shaking pan occasionally to spread around any dark spots that appear, until a rich caramel forms.

5. Place apple quarters into pan, rounded side down, arranging them around pan. Cut remaining apple to fill gaps. Cook the apples over medium heat for about 10 minutes until caramel is bubbling up in the pan, shaking pan occasionally to prevent burnt spots.

6. Lay the pastry over the apples, tucking any protruding edges around edges of pan.

7. Place the pan in the oven, cook for about 25 minutes, or until the puff pastry has risen and cooked. The pastry should be dry and flaky. Stand tarte in pan for 10 minutes before carefully turning out onto a serving plate. Serve with cream. 

Its pretty easy  - the things we did different - we used a tablespoon of muscovado sugar and lemon juice and a damned good shake of mixed spice over granny smith apples.. They are really tart And off our tree and have never been sprayed .

We used the  40% less fat rolled pastry as well. No good reason to do that considering the apples are drowned in the caramel.

It came out really well. and the edges were just a little toffeeish.

Today we were at Kirkaldies  and they had a nice lady demonstrating some hugely expensive but divine cook ware which included a tart tatin pan in its line up. They had a tart tatin to try.. So with out being too gleeful..
Theirs was a distant also ran to the efforts of the hottest big breasted baker from Rangitumau. It was insipid compared to the glorious creation I served up to my mates.

I suggest if you are looking for a good wine  - try the Urlar Riesling. Its lemony tones will set off the tart wonderfully.