Apple Tart Tartin

The key to this dessert is properly cooking and then caramelizing the apples stovetop before covering the apples with pastry and baking.  I use my pie dough recipe but many versions I see use purchased pastry puff.  I use a combination of George Pierrier’s Le Bec-Fin Recipes and Patricia Wells The Paris Cookbook to create the perfect tart.  I like the look of the whole apple halves that Patricia recommends but the caramel ingredients that George uses.  I am lucky enough to have a friend who hand carried a French copper tartin pan to me for my birthday but you can use any heavy duty 10-11 inch saute pan. Please see the post associated with this recipe, Book Club at the Beach to Honor Alice Waters.

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
6-8 apples, peeled, cut in half and cored
1 recipe pie dough

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place the butter and sugar in a 10-11 inch cast-iron or heavy saute pan; warm over low heat until butter has melted and the sugar is moistened.  Arrange the apple halves leaning on their rounded sides but overlapping.  The apples will shrink as they cook and will ultimately lay flat.  Make two layers of apples including an apple in the center if possible (see pictures above).  I sometimes will cut an apple to make it fit.  Turn the heat up to medium-low and cook the apples for about 20 minutes, turning the apples to lean on the other side allowing for even cooking.  You may need to turn the apples a number of times to cook them evenly.  Once the apples have shrunk a bit the sugar is beginning to caramelize, turn the heat up to medium high, turning the pan occasionally to avoid hot spots and burning the apples, until a light colored caramel has formed underneath and the apples are starting to brown evenly.  Turn the pan on the heat to make sure each apple is properly cooked.  This should take about 10 minutes of your attention. The total amount of apple cooking will be around 45 minutes Turn the heat off and set aside as you roll out the dough.

Roll out the pie dough as recommended in the recipe to around 1 inch larger than the bottom of the pan.  Brush off the flour and carefully place the circle of dough over the top.  Tuck the pastry down around the edges so it will cup the apples and caramel when inverted.  Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the pastry begins to brown, about 20 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and allow the tart to cool until the liquid from the apples congeals; at least 20 minutes.  Rewarm the pan slightly over direct heat to lightly melt the caramel for easy removal then invert onto a serving dish.  Replace any apples or caramel that were stuck to the pan or shifted in the transfer.  Cut into wedges and serve with ice cream, creme fraiche or light whipped cream.