h o l i d a y recipe The Adventurous Kitchen by chef ken frank A caramelly-apple holiday dessert T arte Tatin has been one of my favorite holiday-season desserts almost as long as I have been cooking. While there is a debate over the precise origin of the dish, no one disputes that it was made famous by the Tatin sisters as the signature dish at their Hotel Tatin, south of Paris. It takes patience to cook and a bit of practice to perfect the dish, but it’s well worth the effort. There are quick recipes that call for making the caramel first and then adding apples, but once you’ve made it right, with the apples slowly exuding their juice, becoming deeply flavored apple caramel, you’ll never turn back. You need a 9- or 10-inch round thick-bottomed sauté pan, with straight sides about 2 ½ inches high. It also helps to have a gas stove or an induction burner that cooks very evenly. It is critical to use apples that hold their shape when cooked. I used to swear by Red Delicious, but have had superior results in recent years with both Granny Smith and Gala apples. With Gravensteins, you will end up with very sweet applesauce instead. For one tarte: 12 or 13 apples 2 sticks (1/2 lb.) unsalted butter 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar About 1/2 pound puff pastry dough Peel, core and cut the apples in half, vertically (I prefer this larger size to the smaller pieces shown in the image at center). Cut the butter into small pieces and spread around the bottom of the pan. Add the sugar and stand the apple halves, fat end down, back to back all around the edge of the pan. Fill in the center of the pan with another 4 or 5 halves and lay the remaining ones on top. They will be inserted later as the apples cook. Place the pan over low heat and cook for 64 www.nAPAVA L L E Y L I F Emagaz ine.com about ten minutes until the butter has melted, the sugar is dissolved and the apples are beginning to exude their juice. Adjust the heat to maintain a constant gentle simmer. The secret to success is a slow, even cooking. Cook for about 1-1/2 hours. Give the pan a sharp turn every ten minutes or so, to keep the apples from sticking and promote even browning. As the apples cook, they will soften and shrink. As space becomes available, insert the extra pieces from the top, eventually squeezing them all in. In the meantime, pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees and roll out a thin circle of puff pastry about an inch wider than the pan. Prick the surface thoroughly with a fork and reserve until needed in the refrigerator. After 1-1/2 hours of slow cooking, the caramel should be thick and a deep golden brown; if not, keep cooking until it is. Cover the apples with the circle of puff pastry, tucking in the edges around the inside of the pan. Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes until the crust is done. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 3 or 4 minutes. Then very carefully invert onto a large serving plate. Smooth the apples with a spatula and pour any extra caramel over the top. Serve warm, à la mode. Bon appétit! Log on to Life Want to know the latest happenings in the Napa Valley? CHECK OUT NVLMAG.COM Find out about future shows and last-minute additions to your favorite entertainment venues on THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE ONLINE CALENDAR IN THE NAPA VALLEY! We update the website daily with stories about living the Napa Valley Life. Get the latest hospitality industry scoop. Learn about people you should know. Read our exclusive on-line-only stories.
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