T is for Tarte Tatin

This lovely apple cake got it's name from a hotel in France, where it was created by accident when the cook left an apple, butter and sugar mixture on the stove for too long and thought it had burnt.  She quickly topped the mixture with some pastry and popped it into the oven to finish cooking.  The hotel guests devoured the dessert and Tarte Tatin was created.

My version, a quick and easy one, is made with a store-bought puff pastry. Much simpler for my boys to work with and so worth my time and effort.  For those of you who have made your own puff pastry, you know it's not always an easy task.  This version allows you to make this impressive dessert with only five ingredients and provides your family with a simple seasonal treat.

Take note though...if sugar and butter are not your thing, than neither is Tarte Tatin, as it's loaded with both ingredients.  This dessert doesn't enter our home often, but I actually made this for a friend and didn't want to skimp on the rich ingredients

If your sous-chefs decide to offer you some assistance, cutting the apples offers a wonderful opportunity to chat about fractions.  Each apple, once peeled and cored, needs to be cut into halves, then quarters and finally eights.  I love when I can incorporate learning into our cooking.

I hope you enjoy and have a wonderful day....

Easy Tarte Tatin

6 apples, peeled cored and sliced into eight pieces

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 sheet frozen puff pastry

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees and remove puff pastry sheet from the freezer.

~ Melt the butter in an oven-safe pan.  Add the sugar and lemon juice and combine well.  Allow to cook for 3-4 minutes or until slightly golden in colour.

~ Arrange your apples in a circle around the pan, filling the entire bottom.

~Cook the apples for approx 10 - 15 minutes or until they become cooked and the sugar/butter mixture has caramelized.

~ Remove from the stove top and all to cool for five minutes.

~ Cover the apple mixture with a sheet of puff pastry.  Tuck any excess pastry under and be sure to have all of the mixture covered.

~ Bake for 35 minutes.  Remove from the oven, allow to cool and then invert onto a plate.  Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

~ Enjoy!

~ 

Comments

[kerry]

This is my first time stopping by your blog and already I am in love! Cooking is one of my passions as well. It is something that my son and I love to do together. This apple tarte tatin looks delicious. We have a french apple tart recipe in our family that uses a pate brisee and applesauce as well as very thinly sliced apples. This looks like a grown-up version of that. Can't wait to try it! I also took a quick look at the Quesadilla list from last week. Such inventive combinations... it looks like a great way to introduce new tastes and textures to children in a familiar way. Can't wait to come back when I have more time to look around!

[cate]

yum! i love your description of how you can learn as you cut. we will definitely try this version. your ABC's are so great. we're all really enjoying looking through them and talking about which ones we want to make most.

[Stoich91]

Yum! Thanks for the fall recipe that Dosen't Involve Pupmkin! The state we live in has (sniff) a pumpkin shortage this year, so there isn't much to go around and any recipes that scream "AUTUMN!" and don't have anything to do with pumpkins are GREATLY APPRECIATED! :-) HA! Anyways, as for T...perhaps Tangy Salsa Tacos (made with homeade salsa, refried beans, cheese, lettuce, and sour cream!).