Apple Tart Tatin

Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook by Martha Stewart

 

For the crust:
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbl sugar
1 stick butter, cold, cut into small pieces
2-4 Tbl ice water

Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl and stir to combine.  Add the butter.  Rub the butter and flour mixture together rapidly between your finger tips until the fat is broken into tiny pieces and the mixture resembles dry oatmeal.  Tablespoon by tablespoon, drizzle the water over the flour mixture, mixing with your hand (use your actual hand, not a spoon) between additions, until the dough begins to hold together, without being wet or sticky.  You can test the dough by squeezing together a small amount – if it is still too crumbly and does not hold together, add a bit more water.   Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface.  Knead once or twice to bring the dough all together.  Shape into a flattened disk.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least two hours or overnight.

4 Tbl butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for greasing the pan
flour, for dusting
1 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
2 1/2 large Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored & cut into quarters

Preheat oven to 425°F.  Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan, and set aside.  On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the chilled dough to a 9-inch round.  Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill until needed.

Mix together the sugar, lemon juice and 2 Tbl water in a small sauce pot.  Bring to a boil over high heat, and cook, without stirring, until the mixture turns a deep amber color, about 3 to 5 minutes.  (If it happens to take even longer, just be patient.  Keep cooking until you have a deep amber.)  Turn off the heat and add the butter, swirling to combine.  Pour the caramel mixture into the greased pie pan.

Arrange the apple quarters, round side down, around the pan in a circular pattern, with one in the center.  Fit the apples as close together as possible.  Drape the dough round over the apples to cover completely.

Place in the oven and bake until golden, about 25-30 minutes.  When done, remove from the oven and immediately invert onto a serving dish.  (Place the serving dish upside-down over the pie plate, hold the two dishes together and invert to right side-up.)  Allow to cool about five minutes.  Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

  

SERVED AT THIS DINNER PARTY

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