Recipe: Tarte Tatin

Adapted from a September 2012 video recipe at foodwishes.com, prepared for dinner on, September 30, 2012.  Makes 6-8 servings.

Select firm apples that are good for baking and won't lose their shape such as Granny Smith.

Ingredients

4 large apples
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup sugar
1 single crust pie dough

Instructions 

1. Have on hand chilled dough for a single-crust pie. 
2. Take the butter from the refrigerator and allow it to soften.
3. Turn the oven on to 425° with a rack in the middle position.
4. Peel the apples and cut them into quarters vertically (through the stem and blossom ends of the apple)
5. Cut out the apple cores and place the apples in a bowl of water with some vinegar or lemon juice added to prevent browning.
6. Remove the pie dough from the refrigerator and allow it to warm for about 15 minutes so it is easier to roll out.
7. Coat the inside of an oven-safe 10- or 12-inch skillet with the butter.
8. Evenly coat the butter in the skillet with the sugar, most of it will be on the bottom of the pan.
9. Place the apples in the pan, curved side down, core side up.
10. Over medium-high heat, cook the apples until the sugar is caramelized to a golden brown and the apples have softened, about 10 minutes.
11. Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool while you prepare the dough.
12. Roll out the dough into a circle whose diameter is one inch greater than that of the skillet.
13. Lay the dough on top of the apples and push the edges down into the pan, being very careful not to burn yourself on the very hot sugar syrup. Optionally, you can crimp the edges of the dough before you put it into the skillet.
14. Bake for 20 minutes until the crust is browned and the syrup is bubbling.
15. Remove the skillet from the oven and let it cool for five minutes.
16. Place a large plate over the top of the skillet and invert. With a little shaking most of the tarte should come out onto the plate.
17. Carefully remove the remaining apples, caramel, and dough from the skillet and add them artfully to the tarte.
18. Let it cool to room temperature and, as Chef John at foodwishes.com always says, "Enjoy!"

Cook the butter, sugar, and apples for about 10 minutes over medium-high heat until the sugar is caramelized to a nice golden brown and the apples are softened.

My apples didn't fill the pan so I pushed them into the center before adding the crust.

Add the crust and very carefully (the sugar syrup is very hot) push it down around the apples. The edge was crimped before being added to the skillet

Bake at 425° until the crust is browned and you can hear the juices bubbling underneath.

Turn the tarte out onto a large serving plate and add  bits (they might be more than mere bits)  that stick to the pan are added to the top. (And if, as in this case, the edges of the crust stick to the pan, they can be added, too.)