Le Cordon Bleu’s Red Gala Tarte Tatin

Le Cordon Bleu’s Red Gala Tarte Tatin

Yields: 1 x 24cm Tarte

Ingredients

For the caramel

100g sugar

20ml water 

For the filling

6 x Red Gala apples   

50g unsalted butter

25ml Calvados            

500g readymade puff pastry

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (conventional)
2. Peel and core the apples and cut each apple into 4 even pieces
3. In a thick bottom fry pan, heat the sugar and water until it becomes a dark caramel
4. Add the apples and cook until the apples take on the dark caramel colour
5. Add the unsalted butter and continue to cook until a thick sauce forms in the bottom of the fry pan
6. Remove the pan from the stove and add the Calvados
7. In a 24cm round baking dish flood the bottom of the dish with the caramel sauce then arrange the apples evenly in the baking dish
8. Roll out a sheet of puff pastry 4mm thick and dock the pastry all over with a fork to create small holes-this will prevent the pastry from rising too much whilst baking
9. Cover the baking dish with the puff pastry and crimp the rim of the baking dish using pastry crimpers or pinching between your thumb and forefinger
10. Place the baking dish in preheated oven at 200°C and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the pastry is golden in colour and crisp
11. Remove the baking dish from the oven and allow to cool
12. Once the tarte has cooled lay a serving plate over the baking dish and carefully invert the tarte onto the serving plate (remember that there will be a lot of liquid caramel in the dish as you turn it out)
13. Serve with double cream, or vanilla ice cream

Note: Short crust pastry can be used instead of puff pastry