Continuing my series of classic French food, and seeing as Normandy is swimming in apples at this time of year, here is the Tarte Tatin.
Besides the firm apples, pastry, butter and sugar, what you really need for a good tatin is a pan that can be used over the heat and in the oven. I personally use an old heavy based frying pan that lost its handle years ago.
In the base of your pan place three big chunks of butter, and cover liberally with sugar. A good cup of sugar is about right.
Peel, core and cut the apples into large pieces. It's important to keep the pieces of apple big and regularly shaped since they are what you see when you turn the pie upside down.
Turn the heat up high and let the apples start cooking without burning. Quite quickly the butter and sugar will turn into a bubbly brown caramel.
You can roll the apples over a couple of times at this stage if you like, making sure they are absorbing the caramel.
Roll out your pastry. Some prefer puff, I like a short pastry. Lay it on top of the pan as if you're making a pie and pop the whole thing into your preheated oven.
Once the pastry is cooked, let it cool a little but not completely. Run a knife around the edge of the tart. Find a big serving plate, preferably with a slight rim to it. Pu the plate upside down onto the pastry and flip the whole thing over.
This is what you should have sitting on your plate! Bring to the table and graciously acknowledge the admiring and hysterically happy crowd, spoons poised, ready to devour this truly great classic!!
Bon appetit!
PS Here's a great idea, several people have said they are going to make a tatin. If you make one, send me a photo of it and I'll add it to this post and link it back to you!
A few hours later .....
Just look at this! many many thanks to Rebecca from Life and Godliness who actually made the tart today; She says:
A few hours later .....
Just look at this! many many thanks to Rebecca from Life and Godliness who actually made the tart today; She says:
"I used a left-over refrigerated pie crust I had...sliced my apples thinner than you said to do (I was doing it by memory and didn't go back and read the details).l Still, it turned out very, very good! Yes! I've already tasted it!"
Anyone else?!
Added the next day .... this is totally amazing!! Many thanks to Lorrie Orr of fabric paper thread,
who wrote to me in perfect French, including this lovely photo, and explaining she was eating the tarte for breakfast! Thank you Lorrie!
And a few days later this lovely picture arrived from Jill of Nice Day at Rosies. Looks very successful
I wonder which recipe I'll propose to you next time?!
photos in original post thanks to Google images
