Tarte Tatin !     A Classic Upside-Down Cake, served warm with cream or créme fraîche.



What do we need:

For the Pastry:  (Which is a sweet crust pastry)


100 gr. self-raising flour
 50 gr. diced butter
1 level tablespoon sifted icing sugar  (poedersuiker)
1 large egg yolk
scant tablespoon cold water



For the topping:

900 gr. dessert apples ( I used Jazz but Pink Lady is also a very good apple)
Finely grated rind and juice of 1 Lemon
75 gr. butter
75 gr. demerara sugar (rietsuiker)

To finish:
75 gr. demerara sugar (optional)


1. First prepare the pastry. Measure the flour, butter and icing sugar into a bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and enough water to bring the mixture together to a firm but not sticky dough. Knead lightly, wrap in clingfilm and chill for about 30 minutes.

2. Pre-heat the oven to 200 C.   Peel, core and slice the apples and sprinkle with the lemon juice and rind. (Well, i didn't peel the slices as I know Mary leaves them on).
Measure the butter and sugar into a small pan ( Not a non-stick pan ) and heat gently until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Pour into the base of a 23 cm  sandwich tin.
Arrange a single layer of the best apple slices in a circular pattern over the mixture.
( I did so anti clockwise as it is an upside-down cake, so mirror image).
Cover with the remainder of the slices.

3. Roll out the chilled dough on to a lightly floured work surface and use to cover the apples.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and golden brown.  ( It will have shrunk a little when cooked).

4. Tip the juices from the cake tin into a small pan. Turn the tart out on to a plate, with the pastry on the bottom.  Boil the juices to reduce to a syrupy caramel and pour over the apple.
If there is very little juice (depends on the apples used) add 2 tablespoons of  demerara sugar, dissolved in the pan with the juices and cook until syrupy. Serve warm, with cream, créme fraîche or Yoghurt.

I heard of a story that two French Sisters invented this tart........


                                                                 Enjoy !!!
                                                           Bon Appetit !!!