Apple Tart Tatin is one of my favorite food offerings I bring to my friends; I have been making this recipe for over thirty years and it is easy for me to accomplish, but I feel bad describing the process as 'easy' because it requires some skills, strength, and a lot of caution. You will be handling very hot melted sugar; and the baked tart at 400 degrees has to be flipped by hand. This maneuver can be dangerous.
I core and peel about eight apples; these can be green, or other available. The taste varies, but the swiftness and consistency are always the same and guests will always love it. I think of this tart as a luxurious dessert; and very French; which to me signifies great food.
Following the French theme, I use French butter but I have used also Italian and Irish butters. A good butter will produce a superior tart; trust me. I melt one quarter-pound of butter in a hot skillet; raise the flame to high; and spread one cup of organic raw sugar over the melted butter
I peel and half the apples and place them on top to the sugar and butter; round side -up at high heat for one and a half minutes; turn them over and let them brown for about five and a half minutes; the sugar and butter will have caramelized.
while the apples brown, I stretch one pastry sheet until large enough to cover the skillet.
I spread the pastry sheet over the apples, and place the skillet in the pre-heated 400 degree oven.
I let the tart bake in the oven for fifteen to twenty minutes depending on how dark I want the pastry; using a timer.
I take it out and proceed to flip the tart onto a dish that fits the top to the skillet.
The dish needs to overlap the edges of the skillet; because, at the moment of flipping the skillet, hot scolding sugar can burn. This is the difficult part of turning out an upside-down tart; and it requires some skill.
If you can figure the way to pass this step successfully, you are definitely popular with your friends. I get a request for this tart very often.
The result is always a delicious apple dessert that will please the most sophisticated palate.
ARDOINO FRUCTUS EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL FROM LIGURIA, ITALY
