Warm, buttery, caramelized apples wrapped in puff pastry – is there any better way to kick off the holiday season? We think not. So we’re whipping up this Apple Tart Tatin recipe by Le Creuset, and we know it’s going to be a crowd-pleaser. Especially if their joyful Cerise Tart Tatin dish has anything to do with it.
Fun fact: The brand’s signature red hue was formerly known as Cherry, but recently adopted its French name, Cerise, just in time for the festivities. Bring the dessert to your holiday party in this cast-iron fave and gift it to the host as a thank you. (Because we’re sure they already have enough bottles of wine.)
Credit: Le Creuset
Ingredients:
2 ounces butter
2 cups sugar
4 pounds Golden Delicious or Granny Smith apples
1 pound puff pastry
Instructions:
1. Set the oven to 375°F. Cut the butter into thin slices and arrange them evenly in the base of the Le Creuset Tart Tatin dish.
2. Sprinkle with the sugar and melt on top of the stove over medium heat, until sugar begins to caramelize. Remove from heat.
3. Peel, core and slice the apples. Arrange the apple slices in concentric circles on top of the sugar in the pan. They should fill the pan and be tightly packed.
4. Heat on top of the stove over low to medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until a golden caramel is formed. At first, this caramel will be pale and liquid from the juice of the apples. Keep cooking so that it evaporates and darkens and is absorbed by the apples.
5. If the apples are still uncooked, transfer the mold to the bottom shelf of the heated oven and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the apples are tender. Let the apples cool a little until the steam disappears. Raise the oven temperature to a very hot 425°F.
6. Roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thick and cut out a circle slightly larger than the diameter of the mold. Transfer the circle to a tray and chill for 15 minutes.
7. Set the circle of dough on the apples so that they are completely covered.
8. Bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is puffed and golden brown. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp.
9. Let the tart cool slightly in the mold, then turn it out onto a heat-proof rack and let the juices drain and settle. If any apples stick to the bottom of the pan, remove them with a metal spatula and replace in the tart. Transfer to a serving platter and serve.
By Brianna Lapolla, Associate Editor
