Tarte tatin with calvados cream
This classic French upside-down pastry is a lot easier to make than it looks. Using ready-made puff pastry means it’s on the table in no time.
Ingredients
For the tarte tatin
- 200g/7oz ready-made puff pastry
- little plain flour, for dusting
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú caster sugar
- 60g/2¼oz unsalted butter, cubed, plus extra, melted, for brushing
- 600g/1lb 5oz Braeburn apples, peeled, cored and cut into quarters
For the calvados cream
- 175ml/6fl oz double cream
- ½ tbsp icing sugar
- 1 tbsp calvados
- 1 fresh mint sprig, to decorate
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface to a circle a little larger than the rim of a 20cm/8in ovenproof frying pan.
Place the frying pan over a medium heat, pour in the sugar and cook until it turns light brown and starts to smoke a little. Do not stir, simply move the pan around a little if required – it will take 5 minutes or so.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the cubed butter. Stir until combined, then arrange the apples in the pan, starting from the outer edge and working towards the centre. Brush the apples with the melted butter and place the pastry on top, tucking it in at the sides. Prick the pastry several times with a fork. Bake the tart for 20–25 minutes, or until risen and golden brown. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the calvados cream. Place the cream and sugar in a bowl and whisk until it starts to form soft peaks. Add the calvados and stir gently.
Serve the tarte tatin with the calvados cream in a small bowl, topped with the mint.