Tarte tatin

Description

This is one of those dishes in which the end result belies its simplicity. Serve the tatin with cream, ice cream or custard. A few lightly roasted hazelnuts added to the pan before topping with the pastry work quite nicely.

Ingredients

80g/3oz unsalted butter
100g/3½oz unrefined caster sugar
5-6 apples, such as Cox or Braeburn, peeled, cored and halved
flour, for rolling out the pastry
1 packet of frozen puff pastry, made with butter if possible

Method

1. Leave the butter to soften slightly then spread it evenly over the bottom of a straight-sided heavy-bottomed pan. Sprinkle the sugar over the butter.
2. Cut each apple half into 3 wedges. Now pack the apples in the pan side by side, pointing upwards. There should be no gaps anywhere in the pan.
3. Put the pan on a medium heat. The sugar and butter will begin to bubble and will gradually turn to a light golden colour. Using the underside of a slightly smaller pan, press down evenly on the apples. Be careful that the sugar and butter mix does not get forced over the sides of the pan. When it begins to darken a little more, remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
4. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to a thickness of ½cm. Cut the rolled pastry to a disc 1cm/½inch larger than the diameter of the pan.
6. When the apples have cooled down enough to handle, roll the pastry around your rolling pin, hold it over the pan and unroll it so that it drops on to the apples. Carefully tuck the pastry under the apples and make several holes in it with a small sharp knife.
7. Put the pan in the preheated oven for about 35 minutes. When ready, the pastry should turn a light golden brown colour. Remove the pan from the oven to cool down, but make sure that you turn the tatin out while it is still warm, otherwise it will stick to the pan. To turn it out, cover the top of the pan with an upturned plate large enough to hold the tart. Quickly, but carefully, tip the pan upside down and shake gently if necessary. Serve.