THIS week’s recipe is a homegrown French classic with a twist of English thrown in the mix. We are going to grab the last of this year’s rhubarb and apples to create a classic apple and rhubarb tarte tatin. The sweet, sticky caramel flavours with the fruitiness of the apples and rhubarb are always a crowd pleaser.
What you need is a small spring form tart tin or a 15cm heavy based pot that can be placed in the oven. And certainly don’t forget a good quality tub of your favourite ice cream or clotted cream to serve along side a wedge of this delicious tart you’re about to make.
Before you start, the quality of the puff pastry is something to consider and plays an important part in the flavour and texture of the tarte tatin. Cheaper versions of puff pastry are made with vegetable and animal fats with only a small percentage of pure butter. Buying a puff pastry with pure butter gives us a creamy/flakey pastry which is rich and nutty when baked to perfection. The French once again come out on top with puff pastry, best to check the label and see what’s inside. Remember look for ‘butter puff pastry’.
So let’s get cracking on our tarte tatin. Happy cooking and enjoy!
What you need:
400gm castor sugar
Fresh ginger — about a thumb size, thickly sliced
2 cinnamon quills
5 Granny Smith apples, cut into 16 wedges each
4 thin rhubarb stalks, cut into 6cm batons
2 sheets butter puff pastry rolled to 3mm thick
150g butter chilled
75g castor sugar
What to do:
Stir the sugar, ginger, cinnamon and 400ml water in a saucepan over medium heat to dissolve the sugar, and then simmer until reduced by one-third (8-10 minutes). Remove from heat, cool slightly, then add the apple and rhubarb and set aside to cool.
Butter the tart tin or heavy based pot with loads of butter and evenly lay the apples and rhubarb around the base so all the ingredients are packed tightly.
Sprinkle the castor sugar over the apple and rhubarb.
Take the puff pastry from the fridge and cut a circle to the diameter of the pot or tart tin. Brush with an egg wash so the pastry will become golden and crispy.
Place the tarte tatin into a pre-heated oven on 190 degrees for 10-12 mins. Check just prior to 10 minutes that the pastry is turning a golden color. If not, continue baking for 2 -3 mins.
Once the pastry is cooked remove from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 mins. Invert the tart onto a large serving dish and slice into large wedges. Serve with a big dollop of ice cream or clotted cream.