Best Upside Down Chicory Tart Recipes

UPSIDE-DOWN TOMATO TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Microwave the bacon drippings for 8 to 10 seconds to melt, if necessary. Combine the tomatoes, onion, bacon drippings, lemon pepper, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Spread on the prepared baking sheet and roast until slightly softened, about 10 minutes. Let cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
• Coat the bottom and side of an 8- or 9-inch cast-iron skillet with cooking spray. Toss the tomato mixture with the lemon juice and asiago; spread evenly in the skillet. Place the puff pastry on top; trim the overhanging pastry with kitchen shears.
• Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the pastry is dark golden, about 50 minutes. Let cool about 5 minutes, then place a large plate or platter on top of the skillet and invert the tart. Sprinkle with basil and let cool, about 5 more minutes. Cut into wedges.

PEAR TARTE TATIN WITH SHORTBREAD CRUST

Steps:

• FOR THE CRUST
• In a food processor, combine the butter, flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest. Pulse until it looks like finely grated Parmigiano cheese. Add the egg yolk and 1 to 2 tablespoons cold water, and pulse, pulse, pulse until the mixture comes together into a ball. If it seems a bit dry, add 1 more tablespoon water and pulse a few more times.
• Dump the mixture out onto a clean, lightly floured work surface and knead it once or twice, until it comes together in a smooth ball. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to an even circle, 11 to 12 inches in diameter. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet lined with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.
• FOR THE FILLING
• Preheat the oven to 425°F.
• Place the sugar, 3 tablespoons water, the lemon juice, and cinnamon stick in a 10-inch ovenproof, nonstick sauté pan. Bring to medium heat and stir to combine.
• Raise the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil (BTB), brushing down the sides of the pan occasionally with a pastry brush dipped in water. After 7 to 8 minutes the mixture will begin to turn light brown. Swish the pan around gently to promote even cooking and cook the mixture for 1 to 2 more minutes, or until it turns a deeper amber color. Keep your eye on this and don't walk away; the sugar can burn quickly if you're not paying attention.
• Remove the pan from the heat, add 1 tablespoon heavy cream, and whisk to combine. Discard the cinnamon stick.
• Whisk in the butter 2 pats at a time. The mixture will bubble up, but that's okay, just be VERY CAREFUL not to let it splatter and burn you. When all of the butter has been incorporated, begin to arrange the pears in concentric circles as neatly and prettily as you can-remember, you're going to flip it out.
• Return the pan to the stove and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• TO ASSEMBLE THE TART
• Remove the pastry from the fridge, carefully drape it over the top of the pears, and tuck the pastry around the edges of the pan. Bake the tart for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown and crispy.
• Let the tart cool for 10 to 15 minutes, then place a serving platter upside down on top of the pastry and CAREFULLY flip the platter and pan over, letting the tart fall gently out of the pan.
• Place the remaining heavy cream in a medium bowl and, using an electric mixer or a whisk and good old-fashioned elbow grease, whisk the heavy cream to soft peaks. Slice the tart and serve garnished with the whipped cream.
• DON'T FEAR THE CARAMEL!
• Making caramel can be a little scary but once you get the hang of it, it's fun. Start by putting sugar in a large saucepan and giving yourself a couple of insurance policies-some acid, like lemon juice, and some water. These two ingredients help the caramel cook without recrystallizing or burning super-quickly.
• Then bring the pan to medium-high heat and let it rip. When you see the sugar start to turn a shade of amber, don't walk away-things can go south very quickly and if the sugar burns, there's no recovery. Once the sugar is one shade past amber and heading toward brown, pour in the heavy cream, reduce the heat to low, and stand back-the mixture will bubble up like crazy. This is why it's really important to use a large saucepan-you don't want it to overflow when you add the cream and the mixture bubbles up. This stuff is molten!!! It can cause a really severe burn if you're not careful.
• Once the bubbles calm down, swirl in the butter a couple pats at a time. Be sure not to add more until each addition is melted. You've made caramel!
• ANNE ALTERNATE
• You can totally use apples here instead of pears. I recommend Granny Smith or any other tart, firm apple. I also recommend using fruit that's not quite ripe because it's going to get really soft as it cooks.

CARAMELIZED UPSIDE-DOWN PEAR TART

Steps:

• Peel, halve, and core pears.
• In a 9- to 10-inch ovenproof non-stick skillet or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet heat butter over moderate heat until foam subsides and stir in sugar (sugar will not be dissolved). Arrange pears, cut sides up, in skillet, with side parts at rim of skillet. Sprinkle pears with cinnamon and cook without stirring until sugar mixture forms a deep golden caramel. (This can take as little as 10 minutes or as much as 25, depending on skillet and stove.) Cool pears completely in skillet.
• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll out dough into an 11-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick) and arrange over caramelized pears. Tuck edge around pears. Bake tart in middle of oven until pastry is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Have ready a rimmed serving plate slightly larger than skillet. As soon as tart has finished baking, invert plate over skillet and, wearing oven mitts and keeping plate and skillet firmly pressed together, invert tart onto plate. (This is a bit scary, but it works!)
• Serve tart at room temperature or chilled with whipped cream or ice cream.