Tohutohu tao kai: apple tarte tatin

TOHUTOHU TAO KAI

Apple tarte tatin

SERVES: FOUR TO FIVE PREPARATION TIME: 10 MINUTES COOKING TIME: AROUND 20 MINUTES

Ingredients

puff pastry, rolled flat (you can use store-bought pastry or make your own)

1.5 kg apples

3 tbsp water

half a cup of sugar

3 tbsp unsalted butter 200 mls cream

2 vanilla pods de-seeded (set aside)

3 tsp icing sugar

French vanilla ice cream, for serving

Method

Using a 23 cm flat-sided cake pan as a template, cut a circle out of the puff pastry. Poke holes all over the pastry with a fork to provide ventilation. Set aside. Peel and quarter the apples. Remove the cores. Preheat oven to 190°C. In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the water and sugar, cooking it until light amber in colour, and stirring to melt any lumps.

This will take around 5–7 minutes. Add the butter, stirring constantly until the colour is a creamy light brown.

Add the apples, stirring until they are coated in a thick layer of caramel. Cook for about 15–20 minutes, moving the apples around constantly so that they bathe in the caramel. Remove from the heat when the caramel has reduced and little remains in the bottom of the pan. Be careful not to burn the caramel, and check it does not taste bitter. Arrange the apple slices in concentric circles on the bottom of the cake pan. Press the apples tightly against each other, then pour any remaining caramel over the top.

Lay the circle of pastry on top. Tuck the pastry down the sides of the dish.

Bake for 45–50 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and firm. Cool for about 1 hour, then invert onto a plate.

Add vanilla and sugar to the cream and beat until thick.

Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream. Garnish with the vanilla pods. Bon appétit.