Apple Tarte Tatin

By Marylee

This is Chef Ken Franks's recipe from La Toque Reestaurant in Napa Valley.

Ingredients

• 13 - 14 apples (red delicious)
• 16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks)
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 8 oz puff pastry

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Peel, halve and core the apples

Break the butter in to small pieces and place in a 10 inch ovenproof pan with straigt 2-1/2 inch sides.

Add the sugar.

Stand the apple halves upside down and back to back, all around the edge of the pan. Fill the center of the pan, packing in as many more standing apples as will fit. You will have half a dozen or so apple halves remaining - these will be inserted later.

Place the pan over a low flame. Cook 5 - 10 minutes until the butter is melted, the sugar is dissovled and the apples have exuded some of their juice. Cook 1-1/2 hours. Adjust the heat if necessary to achieve a slow but steady simmer. The secret here is a slow, even, patient cooking. Every 10 minutes or so, give the pan a sharp turn, rotating the apples slightly to keep them from sticking, and to ensure an even caramelization. After 20 minutes or so, the apples will have shrunk enough to allow you to slip the first fo the extra apple halves in between the others. After more time, you will be able to fit in all the extras.
Preheat the open to 400 degrees.

After about 1-1/2 hours, if the apples have been fitted in the pan and the juice has thickened condsiderably and carmelized to a deep golden brown, remove the pan from the heat.

Cover the apples with the circle of puff pastry, tucking the edges slightly down inside the pan.

Bake in the hot oven 20-25 minutes, until the pastry is browned.

Remove from the oven and allow to sit 3-4 minutes. Then carefully invert the tart on to an oversized plate.

Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.