CLASSIC TARTE TATIN

CLASSIC TARTE TATIN image

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

For the dough
5-5/8 oz. (1-1/4 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. granulated sugar
3/4 tsp. fine sea salt
3 oz. (6 Tbs.) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large egg beaten with 1 Tbs. cold water
For the tart
5 to 7 firm Granny Smith apples
4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Crème fraîche, for serving (optional)
Dough:
Flour, sugar & salt in food processor, pulse few times to mix. Add butter, pulse til coarsely mixed into flour. Add egg mixture in 3 additions, pulse after each. Continue pulsing until you have soft, shaggy dough that holds together when pinched.

Steps:

Turn dough onto work surface, gather into ball. Wrap in plastic refrig bout 1 hr. Between 2 pieces of wax paper or parchment, roll into circle bout 1/8" thick, 11" wide. Prick dough all o/ w/ fork, cover, refrig. Prepare apples Tip: heavy-duty ovenproof skillet best; avoid cast iron, gets too hot burns apples. Peel, core & quarter 4 apples. Put butter 10" heavy-duty ovenproof skillet o/ med heat. When melted, coat skillet sides w/ butter. Cover butter w/ sugar, cook til sugar evenly moistened, bout 1 min. Remove from heat. Lay apple wedges in skillet w/ rounded sides down or against side of skillet. Build concentric circles, pack apples in snug single layer gaps ok. Peel, core, & quarter as many of remaining apples needed to fill gaps. If necess. cut pieces smaller to fill gaps these will form haphaz 2nd layer, but will shrink as they cook. Will be able to nudge pieces into widen gaps. Put pan o/ med. - med-high heat, cook til beginning to bubble, bout 2 min. Continue cooking til apple juices are mostly boiled away & caramel is deep golden color, 15 - 20 min. Adjust heat, reposition skillet as needed for even cooking. Heat shouldn't be too low (apples get mushy) or too high (burn the caramel). As apples shrink, nudge top layer of apples into gaps. Meanwhile, rack in center of oven, heat to 375°F. Line rimmed baking sheet w/foil. When apples done, transfer skillet to baking sheet,let sit for few min before proceeding (caramel settles). Meanwhile, let dough sit at room temp until pliable. Bake tarte tatin Place dough on top of fruit, tuck overhang. Bake til pastry golden, 25 - 30 min. Rest tart on baking sheet til bubbling caramel quiets down, 3 - 5 min. Gently run knife around edges of pan to loosen apples stuck to sides. Cover skillet w/ large serving platter preferably one w/ rim. Invert tart onto platter, remove skillet. Cool at least 15 min before cutting. Serve w/ crème fraîche.