Tarte Tatin

Born from a happy accident at the Hôtel Tatin in Lamotte-Beuvron in the 1880s, the Tarte Tatin has become one of France's most beloved heirloom desserts. Apples are caramelised directly in butter and sugar, then crowned with pastry and baked before being dramatically inverted at the table.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg (2.6 lb) firm apples (Golden Delicious or Braeburn), peeled, cored, quartered
• 100 g (3.5 oz / 7 tbsp) unsalted butter
• 150 g (5 oz / ¾ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of fleur de sel
• 1 sheet (230 g / 8 oz) all-butter puff pastry, or shortcrust pastry
• Crème fraîche, to serve

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). In a 24 cm (9.5 in) oven-safe frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sugar and cook without stirring until it turns a deep amber caramel, 8-12 minutes.
2. Add the vanilla and fleur de sel, then arrange the apple quarters tightly in concentric circles in the caramel. They will shrink as they cook. Cook on the stovetop for 10-12 minutes, gently pressing the apples down as they soften.
3. Roll the pastry out to a circle slightly larger than your pan. Drape it over the apples, tucking the edges down around the fruit inside the pan.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is a deep golden brown.
5. Allow to cool in the pan for exactly 10 minutes — no longer or the caramel will stick. Place a serving plate larger than the pan firmly on top and invert in one confident motion.
6. Serve warm with a generous spoonful of crème fraîche.

Cook's Notes: The key to a great Tarte Tatin is a dark, almost bitter caramel — do not stop too early. Use apples that hold their shape during long cooking. If the caramel seizes when you add the apples, do not panic — it will remelt.