Tarte Tatin
I would love some fruit trees in my garden, but only if I don’t have to look after them myself. I can’t keep anything plant based alive for very long inside or outside my house. It’s because I am a lazy gardener. I admit it, I’m a fair-weather plant lover.
I like to sit in a garden and appreciate the beauty of a plant or flower, preferably something in a pot, and preferably a blue pot. Not for me elbow deep in potting compost or bone meal extract (is that a thing?). I’d rather be sitting in a lounge chair sipping on something cold while is appreciate all that flowers.
In my house I have 1 lone cactus which sits forlornly looking out of my porch window. It’s a nice cactus, and I have high hopes of it growing up straight and strong to be added to the list of things that I can leave to my grandchildren when I die.
Maybe not being able to keep plants alive, is one of the reasons I don’t like to receive fresh flowers. Not for birthdays, Christmas or for anniversaries. It’s amazing that no matter how often I ask people not to give them to me, how often I still get them sent to me.
I digress, fruit trees.
As I said, a fruit tree would be nice to have, but I think it’s just the access to never ending fruit that I’d like.
A Conference pear tree, that’s what I’d choose. Not very shiny, not very exotic, but, when ripe, a reliably juicy pear. Perfect for cooking too. Not that pear was what I used for this.
For this tarte, I had a few apples hanging around the fruit bowl almost ready to be turned into a crumble. I knew I had one of Aldi’s own puff pastry ready rolls hiding in the freezer, so with only a couple of other everyday ingredients, together they made this sweet and moreish upside-down caramel apple pie.
I had some leftover pastry, so i used the slices to make some smaller individual pies. Perfect size for Mr Gs lunch box.
Instead of making the caramel, i rolled the extra pastry out flat, added sliced apples , a knob of butter, some brown sugar and a pinch of cinnamon. Then just a quick fold over, egg washed it before baking. A bit of sugar sprinkled over the top once they come out of the oven, and they were ready to go.
Would I have made this with conference pears instead?
You bet I would
Enjoy Your Sweet Life
Soft and sweet caramel apples surrounded by puff pastry.
What You Need
3-4 Apples -See Tip Box
6 tablespoons of Light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon – Optional
Puff pastry - 1 box of ready roll – See Tip Box
Butter – 25g
1 egg – Lightly beaten
Straight from the oven
How It’s Done
Heat the oven to 200c
Peel, core and cut the apples into slices
In an oven proof frying pan add the sugar and butter and on a medium heat until the sugar and butter has melted, add and mix in the cinnamon if you’re using it.
Heat the mixture until it bubbles gently for a couple of minutes- See Tip Box
Remove from the heat and very gently arrange the apples in the hot mixture
Place the pastry on top of the apples, cut the pastry so that there is about 1-inch overhang all the way around
Gently tuck the pastry in around the apples so all of the apples are covered and snug
Brush the top of the pastry well with the beaten egg.
Place the pan with the tarte into the hot oven and cook until the pastry is a dark golden brown – anywhere from 30-40 plus minutes -See Tip Box
When cooked – remove from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes
Run a knife around the edge of the tarte to loosen it a little
Place a plate over the hot pan, and turn the pan upside down so the tarte is now on the plate apples side up.
Serve hot or cold.
Mini pies using the leftover pastry.
Tip Box
Apples – I used eating apples. If you have pears use those instead. Try it with plums or peaches too.
Puff pastry – I used Aldi’s own ready rolled
Cooking – All ovens are different, so adjust cooking time accordingly.
Heating the sugar – Don’t look away from the sugar and butter when you’re cooking it. It can burn very quickly.
Hot – Be careful handling the hot pan and the hot sugar mixture
Hot or cold, apple or pear, you’ll want to make more
