Tarte Tatin
This simple and delicious tarte tatin was made using Martha’s pastry recipe and Bogmere Pippin apples. If you don’t have one, just use the other — it’ll still taste good! Can also be made with frozen puff pastry. But you can make the pâte brisée in 5 minutes (plus time to chill it), and it’s sooo much better!
Tarte Tatin
Pâte Brisée (recipe below)
1/4 c (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 to 3/4 c sugar
7 to 9 apples (3 to 4 pounds), peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cored
Preheat oven to 425°F. Melt butter in a 10-inch cast iron (or other ovenproof) skillet over medium heat, and pour sugar evenly over bottom. Arrange apples tightly in concentric circles in pan, one cut side down. It’s OK if apples stick up above rim of skillet. Cook apples over moderately high heat, undisturbed, until juices are deep golden and bubbling, 18 to 25 minutes. (Don’t worry if juices color unevenly.) If apples or juice begins to burn, reduce heat. While apples are cooking, roll out dough into something approximating a circle slightly larger than the top rim of the skillet. When apples are ready, lay the dough over the top of the apples and tuck the extra dough in around the edges so that the whole thing is inside the skillet. Put skillet into oven and bake until pastry is browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer skillet to a rack and cool 10-20 minutes (if longer, consider reheating skillet over a low heat for a minute or two, in case the caramel has firmed up).
Just before serving, invert a platter with lip over skillet and, using potholders to hold skillet and platter tightly together, invert tarte onto platter. Replace any apples that stick to skillet. (Don’t worry if there are black spots; they add visual interest and taste delicious.) Pour any excess caramel from skillet over apples. Serve immediately.
Pâte Brisée (adapted from Martha Stewart)
1 1/4 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp sugar
1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/8 to 1/4 c ice water
In a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds. Add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube while pulsing. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Dough should have a marbled, uneven consistency. That’s OK. It is where the flakiness comes from!
Gather dough into a ball. Flatten into a disc and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. (Dough may be stored, frozen, up to 1 month.)