Tarte tatin à la rhubarbe

( Upside-down apple and rhubarb tart )

This is such a simple, classic tart but it can be quite tricky to make. Not only do you have to deal with the uncertainty of whether the apple will stick to the mould, but you also have to think about offsetting the sweetness of the caramel and cooked apples. Let’s assume that the first part is covered and the tart will come out in one piece — because it will — so then to address the sweetness issue, I have added some tart, slightly acidic rhubarb to balance the flavours. So, all hands on deck, we are doing it!

For this recipe you will need a 25 cm (10 in) ovenproof frying pan, as we are going to cook the apples directly over a high heat, then bake them in the same vessel. Alternatively, you can use a shallow, heavy-based sauté pan.

Serves 8

note : Start this recipe 3–4 hours in advance, to allow time for chilling.

100 g (3½ oz) unsalted butter

100 g (3½ oz) caster (superfine) sugar

3 stems rhubarb, chopped into small pieces

12 small granny smith apples (see tip)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 vanilla beans, halved lengthways, seeds scraped

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) Puff Pastry, 5 single turns

L Melt 40 g (1½ oz) of the butter and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a frying pan over high heat. Add the rhubarb, then cover and cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes, or until the rhubarb collapses into a thick purée. Remove from the heat and set aside until cool.

L Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Peel, halve and core the apples, then cut into 1 cm (½ in) thick slices. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar over the base of a 25 cm (10 in) heavy-based ovenproof frying pan or sauté pan. Arrange a layer of apple slices over the base of the pan, trimming the cut edges as needed so the slices fit snugly. Spread a thin layer of rhubarb purée over the apple, then repeat with the remaining apple and rhubarb. The apples will lose most of their water before they start to caramelise, so don’t worry if the volume looks too big.

L Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan, then add the remaining sugar, the lemon juice and vanilla bean seeds (discard the beans). Combine well, then pour over the top of the apples. Cover the pan with a lid and cook over high heat for about 10 minutes to ‘sweat’ the apples. When the apples have released their juices, reduce the heat to medium, then remove the lid and cook until the juices have evaporated and the apples begin to caramelise. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until the apples can be pierced easily with a small knife but are still firm. Remove from the oven, leave in the pan until cool, then refrigerate the apples in the pan for about 30 minutes, or until cold.

L Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface into a circle about 3 mm (¹/₈ in) thick. Prick all over with a fork and then cut out a circle of pastry roughly 5 cm (2 in) wider than the diameter of the pan. Remove the pan with the cold apples from the fridge. Make sure the apples are cold, because any heat will melt the butter in the puff pastry. Cover the apples with the pastry, tucking the excess around the outside edges of the apples, like tucking in a blanket. Bake in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden. Remove from the oven, set aside until cool, then refrigerate for 2–3 hours to allow the butter and sugar to crystallise — this will make it easier to turn out.

L Before attempting the dreaded flip, heat the pan in a 200°C (400°F) oven for 5 minutes to soften the apples a little, then simply place a serving plate on top of the pan and invert the tart onto the plate. Serve warm with thick (double/heavy) cream or yoghurt or, even better, flambéed with Calvados (apple brandy) or rum.

tip

Use a firm-fleshed apple such as granny smith for this recipe, as they are more likely to retain their shape and texture during the baking process. Don’t use overly ripe fruits; these will have lost some of their inherent tartness during the ripening process, giving you an overly sweet and unbalanced final product — the flesh will also be too soft when cooked.