Apple tarte tatin

Serves 6 Cakes, Bread and Pastries

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Method

To make the pastry, tip the flour and salt into the bowl of a food processor, add the butter and pulse for 5 seconds – just long enough to cover the butter pieces in flour. Add the cream cheese in teaspoonfuls and pulse again until the butter and cream cheese have nearly been rubbed into the flour – you still want to see flecks of both.

Tip out onto a lightly floured work surface and lightly knead to bring the dough into a slightly raggedy ball. Flatten into a fat disc, cover with cling film and chill in
the fridge for at least 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 190C/ 375F/Gas 5. Smear the butter evenly over the base and sides of the frying pan, sprinkle with the sugar, then arrange the apple quarters in tight concentric circles, core- side uppermost, on top, the apple half in the centre. Set the pan over a medium heat and cook the apples without stirring or moving them for 8–10 minutes until the butter and sugar have melted and started to caramelise. Check by carefully lifting one apple quarter and peeking at the underside – it should be tinged with golden brown caramel. Remove from the heat.

Lightly dust the work surface with flour. Roll out the pastry and, using the plate or pan as a guide, cut out a 30-35cm disc, then trim the edges to neaten. Carefully lift and place the pastry over the apples, then, using a palette knife, carefully push the edges down into the pan around the inside rim so that they are encased in a pastry pillow. Return the pan to a medium heat for 1 minute so the pastry just starts to seal and cook around the edges, then slide onto the middle shelf of the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown, crisp and flaky.

Leave to cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then run a palette knife round the edge to loosen. Place a serving plate on top of the pan and, holding the pan and plate firmly in an oven cloth, flip over so that the tart turns out onto the plate. Serve immediately with crème fraîche.