Ramazan food diaries: Apple tart (tarte tatin)

Ice-cream and apple tart, the perfect duo!

KARACHI: Apples, butter, sugar and flour are all ingredients that love each other and come together to form some of the most loved, most gratifying desserts. Whether it’s a crumble you’re after, a pie or an apple tart, you’ll get nowhere without the above mentioned heroes.

We love the traditional apple pie but today we have a French version of the apple tart (tarte tatin) which is; soft juicy caramelized apples sitting on top of a bed of crumbly buttery pastry and does it taste good? It is absolutely divine. Top it with whipped cream or ice-cream and this tart is bound to leave your taste buds very happy!

Here's how to make it. Happy cooking!

Ingredients:
3 to 4 medium sized apples
70 grams unsalted butter
185 grams sugar

Tart pastry:
220 grams flour sifted
150 grams unsalted butter
A pinch of salt

Method:

For the pastry:
Cut the butter into cubes and add to the sifted flour.
Put the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until it resembles a crumb.
Take the mixture out onto a clean floured surface and gather with your hand and shape into a ball then cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

For the apple mixture:
Peel and core the apples then cut  into quarters.
Melt the butter and sugar together in a fry pan with an oven proof handle. Once the color of the mixture becomes a light golden, start arranging the apples in the pan next to each other; core side down forming a circle.
Cook on low heat for half an hour to 40 minutes, until the syrup caramelizes and the apples are soft.
Spoon some of the liquid on top of the apples periodically.
Once caramelized, take the pan off the heat.
Roll out the pastry and place it on top of the fry pan covering it completely, trimming off any excess and roughly fold the edges back into the pan.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in an oven pre heated to 180 C.
Once the pastry reaches a golden color remove from the oven and rest for five minutes.
Insert a knife around the edges of the pan so the pastry can easily slide out.
Place a flat plate on top of the fry pan and flip to invert the pastry onto the plate.
And voila!

Here you have the most delicious caramelized apple tart.
Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!