Shannon Bennett

Presented in 2005

Tarte aux pommes à la Tatin

(Caramelised apple tart, caramel sauce and homemade vanilla ice cream)

Serves 6

200 g (7 oz) block puff pastry

4 golden delicious apples

90 g (3¼ oz) caster (superfine) sugar

30 g (1 oz) unsalted butter

30 ml (1 fl oz) Calvados (see Note)

vanilla ice cream (see recipe opposite)

100 ml (3½ fl oz) caramel Calvados (see recipe opposite)

Vanilla ice cream

2 vanilla beans

500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) milk

500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) thickened (whipping) cream

100 g (3½ oz) trimoline (see Note)

9 egg yolks

200 g (7 oz) sugar

Caramel Calvados sauce

110 g (3¾ oz/½ cup) caster (superfine) sugar

200 ml (7 fl oz) double (thick) cream

50 ml (1¾ fl oz) Calvados

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F/Gas 5).

Roll the pastry on a lightly floured work surface to 5 mm (¼ inch) thick. Using a 12 cm (4½ inch) round cutter, cut out 6 discs. Place the pastry discs on a baking paper-lined baking tray. Crimp the edges with your fingertips, pressing firmly. Prick each disc with the tines of a fork to prevent the pastry from rising. Transfer to the refrigerator.

Cut the ends off each apple, then peel. Cut 3 cheeks off each apple, avoiding the core. Slice each apple cheek as thinly as possible. Fan these slices out on each puff pastry disc until only a small hole remains in the centre. Fill the hole with a 2.5 cm (1 inch) disc of apple.

Sprinkle the sugar onto each tart, place a dot of butter on top and cook in the oven for 20 minutes or until the apple is coloured. Add a splash of Calvados to each tart, then carefully flip using a fish slice. Cook for a further 5 minutes or until the base is golden.

Remove from the oven and place a tray weighed down with a saucepan on top of the tarts for 15 minutes. This will create a visual “wow factor”. Remove the tray, then reheat the tarts in the oven for 5 minutes or until crisp and hot. Serve with the vanilla ice cream and caramel Calvados sauce.

Note: Calvados is a dry spirit made from distilled cider in Normandy, northern France.

Vanilla ice cream

Split the vanilla beans lengthways and with the back of a knife scrape the seeds into a medium heavy-based saucepan. Add the vanilla bean halves, milk, cream and trimoline and simmer for 1 minute.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick.

Pour a quarter of the milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture and stir to combine. Pour this into the milk mixture and stir well. Place the saucepan over low heat and, using a wooden spoon, stir constantly until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon. Strain the crème anglaise through a fine sieve into a bowl over an ice bath. Set aside, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until cold. Place in an ice-cream machine and, following the manufacturer’s instructions, churn until frozen and smooth. Let the ice cream set firm in the freezer for 1 hour before serving. Makes about 1.75 litres (61 fl oz).

Note: Trimoline is an inverted sugar (sugar that has been treated so it won’t crystallise and form lumps) used in confectionery and ice cream. Substitute the same quantity of liquid glucose.

Caramel Calvados sauce

Melt the sugar in a heavy-based saucepan over low heat for 3–4 minutes or until golden brown. Stir in the cream and reduce for 4–5 minutes or until thickened. Add the Calvados and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Serve hot. Makes 1 cup.

From My Vue, Shannon Bennett, Simon & Schuster Australia Pty Ltd (2004) and features at Bistro Vue, Melbourne.