Try Laura’s take on this classic French apple tart.
ingredients
directions
Peel, core, and halve the apples. Set a 12 to 14-inch/30-36 cm tarte Tatin pan on the stove at medium-high heat and put in the butter and sugar. Let them melt together, going from slushy, to stiff, to mealy, to liquid caramel in about 20 minutes.
Lay in the apple halves, upright, in concentric circles. You can use a wooden spoon laid across the pan to brace them. Pack them as tightly as you can, and when no more apples fit, know that two to three more halves will eventually, because apples shrink as they cook. So, keep some extra halves at the ready to poke in when gaps appear. Cook the apples in the pan about 20 minutes.
The apples will be caramelized on one side. Using a fork and spoon, turn them over to caramelize the other side. If they break up as you do this, don’t worry because the good side will be facing up when you flip the tart out. Continue cooking, about 20 minutes more, until the apples are fully caramelized.
Remove the pan from the heat. Lay a round of pastry on top and tuck it into the edges like a blanket. Now slip the pan into the oven and bake until the crust is golden and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool about 10 minutes before turning out.
Or, wait until just before serving so the crust stays crisp. Warm the tart in its pan on a burner until it moves. Then, flip it onto a platter.