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Tarte tatin
Reputedly Raymond Blanc's favourite recipe, see http://www.raymondblanc.com/
Serves: 4
200g puff pastry
8 large Cox's apples (see Tip below)
10g unsalted butter
1 tablespoon caster sugar
100g caster sugar
25g unsalted butter
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to 2mm thick and prick it all over with a fork. Transfer to a baking tray, cover with cling film and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to prevent shrinkage while cooking. Cut out a 20cm circle, using a plate or cake tin as a template, prick with a fork and chill again.
Put the water in a small, heavy-based saucepan and scatter the sugar over it evenly. Let the sugar absorb the water for a few minutes, then place the pan on a medium heat and leave, without stirring, until the sugar has dissolved and formed a syrup. Simmer until it turns to a golden brown caramel. Stir in the butter and immediately pour the caramel into an 18cm round baking tin, 4-5cm deep.
Pre-heat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5. Arrange 12 apple-halves upright around the edge of the tin. In the middle, sit half an apple, flat-side up, and top with another half apple. Cut the remaining apple into slices and wedge them into the empty spaces, tightly packing as many pieces as you can into the tin. Brush the melted butter over the apples and sprinkle the caster sugar over the top.
Place the tin in the oven and bake for 35 minutes, until the apples are partly cooked. Remove from the oven, place the pastry circle on top and tuck the edges inside the tin. Piercing the pastry allows the steam to escape, and makes it crisp.
Cook for a further 30 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. Leave the tarte tatin next to an open window for 1-2 hours, until barely warm. Slide a sharp knife inside the tin to release the tart. Place a large dinner plate over the tart and, holding tin and plate together, turn it upside down, shaking it sideways gently to release the tart onto the plate.
Tip
Braeburn, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Captain Kidd, Crimson Cox, Tydeman’s Early Worcester and Adams Pearmain would all work well in this dish. If you like a sharper flavour, use Granny Smiths but be aware they will give out a bit more juice during cooking and will not cook down as well as the other varieties. This dish is best made a day in advance to allow the pectin in the apples to gel and bind them together. Keep it in the tin after it is cooked and reheat at 150C/300F/Gas 2 for 20 minutes before serving.
