This is really Tarte Tatin in a different guise. Because what’s better than upside-down caramelised apple tart?
Upside-down salted caramel apple tart, that’s what. It couldn’t be easier, and you can make it with pears and nectarines too, as long as you choose nice firm, slightly underripe ones.
The real name of this glorious pie is Tarte Tatin, of course, all French and fabulous and famous for being rich, delicious and…uhm, upside down. It’s easy to make, especially if you buy really good quality frozen puff pastry, and follow the nifty shortcuts in the recipe below. The hardest part is peeling the apples and chopping them up!
SALTED CARAMEL APPLE TART
Considering how little effort it really requires, this luscious caramel apple tart with its puff pastry base should be one of your staples for entertaining. Pears make a good alternative for the apples. The tart is best served slightly warm soon after being made.
Serves 8
Ingredients:
1 X 400g packet bought puff pastry, thawed
melted butter for brushing over
Filling:
8-10 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
100 g castor sugar
1 t (5 ml) ground ginger
4 T (60 ml) unsalted butter
1 t (5 ml) sea salt flakes
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 200 C and spray a 28 cm pie dish with non-stick cooking spray. Cut a circle of the pastry, about 3 cm larger than the pie dish.
- Place the peeled, cored apple wedges in a large bowl. Sprinkle over the sugar and ground ginger and stir well to mix. Let stand for 30-60 minutes in a cool place.
- Melt the butter in a large pan that can go into your oven or else prepare a pie dish while you cook the apples in the butter. Cook apples slowly until just softened and beginning to caramelize. Stir in the salt and mix well.
- Spoon apples into the prepared pie dish or leave in your oven-proof pan, and lay the circle of pastry on top. Tuck in the sides snugly around the edges of the filling and prick all over with a fork to let any steam escape. Brush lightly with a little melted butter.
- Bake in the centre of the oven for 20 minutes and then turn the heat down to 160 degrees Celsius. Bake for another 20 minutes and remove tart from the oven.
- Slide the tip of a knife around the edges of the tart and place a plate upside down over it. Using a dry kitchen cloth, hold the bottom of the pie dish firmly and swiftly overturn in one motion so the plate is underneath the pie crust with the apples on top.
- Serve in wedges with ice cold crème fraîche or thick cream.
