Another dessert for the "tool box"

One of the reasons I love to teach cooking classes is because I forces me to think outside of the box. Now, anyone that knows me knows baking is not my forte. If I find a recipe with very little ingredients, and in the end will not throw me into a sugar comma, it wont take much convincing for me to try to make it. It also gives me a dessert to put in my "tool box" so that when I have guests over and they ask "what can I bring" I can ask for more wine instead of dessert. This is a great one that can be made in a tarte tannin pan, a cake pan, or a cast iron skillet.

 

 

Apple Tarte Tatin

 4 Tbs butter, cut into thin slices

2 cups sugar

4 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1 pound puff pastry or pie dough

 

Cut the butter into thin slices and arrange them evenly in the base of the Tarte Tatin dish.

Sprinkle with the sugar and melt on top of the stove over medium heat, until sugar begins to caramelize. Remove from heat.

 Peel, core and slice the apples. Arrange the apple slices in a circle on top of the sugar in the pan. They should be overlapping.

 Heat on top of the stove over low to medium heat for 15 - 20 minutes or until a golden caramel is formed. Cook until the liquid produced by the apples is almost completely evaporated.

 Preheat oven to 425°

 Roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thick, and cut out a circle slightly larger than the diameter of the pan.

 Set the circle of dough on the apples so that they are completely covered.

 Bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is puffed and golden brown.

Lower the oven temperature to 350°

 

 Continue baking for 10 minutes or until the pastry is crisp.

 Let the tarte cool slightly 5 or so minutes. Cover pan with a plate, and flip. Don’t freak out if a couple of apples stick to the bottom, just use a spatula to get them off, and put them back into place.

 Serve with ice cream or homemade whipping cream

 Serves 6 to 8