Ginger Apple Tart Tatin


Serves 8-10

Traditional Tart Tatin are made with apples and is essentially an upside down pie!

Ingredients

1½ cups flour
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
½ teaspoon cardamom, ground
2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, 1 stick cubed and ice cold the other room temperature
4-6 tablespoons ice cold water
5 medium tart apples (pink ladies, honey crips, jonagold or braeburns), peeled quartered lengthwise and cored
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ginger, freshly grated
½ cup sugar
Ginger Whipped Cream (recipe follows)

Directions

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar and cardamom and mix well. Using a pastry cutter cut the ice cold butter cubes into the flour mixture swiftly until a crumbled mixture is formed. (A food processor is an easy alternative) Place the mixture in the freezer for a few minutes to get it ice cold again before adding the water. Add the ice water to the crumble mixture and using your fingers quickly mix it in just until the dough start to hold together. It will resemble a big course ball stuck together. You don’t want it smooth and you don’t want it to fall apart. Form the dough into a disc shape and place in a plastic bag and refrigerate for at least one hour and up to 2 days.

Preheat oven to 375°F. In a mixing bowl toss the apples with the lemon zest, juice, brown sugar and ginger and mix until the apples are completely covered by the sugar and ginger. In a cast iron pan heat the butter on high until melted. Stir in the sugar and using a wooden spoon mix slowly until a caramelized syrup starts to form. (The sugar will begin to turn a deep amber color) Reduce the heat to low and add the apples in and continue to cook, mixing well until the apples are beginning to cook and the sugars begin to combine. Take off the heat and arrange apples in a creative pattern in the caramel covering the bottom of the pan.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the cold dough disc until it is about a half an inch larger than the cast iron pan. It should be about ½-¾ inch thick and again slightly larger than the pan. Make sure to work quickly and handle the dough as little as possible. Shake of any access flour and gently place the dough over the apples. Making sure to tuck the edges in along the inside of the pan. Cut a few tiny air holes in the top of the crust in order to allow heat to escape. Place in the oven and cook for about 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and semi crispy. Take out of the oven and allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes. Run a knife around the inside of the pan in order to loosen the grip of the dough on the pan.

Place a large flat serving dish on top of the pan and turn upside down, gently tapping if needed until the tatin releases. Serve warm with ginger whipped cream.

*Ginger Whipped Cream-whip 1 cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger until whipped cream consistency!