BAKING PROJECT

Tarte Tatin is actually a very simple dessert to dish out, especially useful when you have unexpected guess or you are just not up to doing real baking.  All you need is shop-bought puff pastry and fruits such as apples or pears.   This is a recipe which I tried a few days ago, it taste fabulous and you have to try it.

The recipe :

Makes a 10 inch tart, serves 5 pax

Method -  get ready a non-stick frying pan or something similar which can be used in the oven.  In my case, I didn’t have a suitable frying pan so I just used a normal pan but with handles that are not plastic type,  which can stand the heat of the oven.   Peel of the puff pastry and cut into a round shape slightly bigger than the pan.  Put it back in the fridge.  Preheat oven to 190C.

Peel and slice the apples.  Cut the butter into small bits.  Sprinkle the butter and sugar over the base of the pan. Arrange the apples on top.

Cover with the puff pastry, push in all the edges.  Prick the puff pastry with a fork a few times, to ensure you have holes to allow steam to escape.  This is crucial, don’t forget ! (Coz I did..)

Place the pan over fire, medium heat to caramelize the apples.  Around 10 minutes.  Shake the pan slighly now and then.  This is the part full of suspense, the pastry just puff up full of steam and I was scared it would just burst.  That’s why you need to prick the pastry beforehand.   Also, be careful coz caramel is very, very hot and can burn your skin.

Remove from the stove and into the oven.  Cook for another 20 minutes.

Remove from oven.  Place a plate over the pan, turn both plate and pan so the tart drops onto the plate.  Serve with whip cream or ice-cream.  Heaven

Pointers :

1) Do not shake the pan too much while on the stove, you can but then you won’t get the apples to be in a neat arrangement.

2) I would recommend immediately inverting into a plate, my mistake was I left it to cool for a few minutes and the caramel started to harden.  The tarte tatin wouldn’t came off the pan.  So I put it back onto the stove for a few seconds and thank God the whole thing came off easily.

3) In retrospect, I should have sliced the apples thicker and maybe use double layers of the puff pastry.

Let me know how your Tarte Tatin turns up.  Thanks.

I think this tart is very easy to make and can be whipped up in a jiffy,  to fulfill those last minute sweet cravings .

The recipe for the sweet pastry :

Pastry cream (Creme patissiere)

Method

For the pastry shell, first sieve the flour, icing sugar and salt.  Then mix in the cold butter, which has been cut into small cubes.   Add in the egg yolks and mix until it all just blends in (do not over mix). The batter should look like the picture below.

 

Roll into a flat disc shape, wrap in plastic clingwrap and let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

In the meantime, make the pastry cream.  Melt the butter over medium fire, then add the flour and sugar, stirring all the time.   Add the eggs and keep on stirring with your wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth.  Now pour in the milk, keep stirring until the mixture suddenly becomes thick.  At this point, off the fire and whisk until smooth and glossy.  Put back on fire for a minute or so, add the vanilla and let it cool.

Preheat oven at 150C.  Roll out the chilled pastry.  Grease and flour the pan and transfer the pastry into the pan, presssing all the sides so you get the groove shape of the tart pan.  Lightly prick the base of the shell with a fork.  Blind bake for about 15 minutes or so.   Remove from the oven and let  the pastry shell cool.

Stir in the cream and decorate with any fruits you think is suitable.  Glaze with jelly or apricot glaze.  Heaven !!

Alternative : make fuit tartlets using smaller tartlet pans, filled with Cream Cheese.

Recipe for the Cream cheese filling

Now this is really yummy (and wicked !) Enjoy guys ..

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