Famous French Food

Serves: 8
 
Tart Dough ingredients:
 
140grams all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 oz./56g cold unsalted butter, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
3 tbsp. cold vegetable shortening, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
3 tbsp. very cold water

Filling:
 
2 oz./56g unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
3/4 cup granulated sugar
5 (roughly 2lb) Golden Delicious, Pink Lady or baking apples, about 2 lb. peeled, quartered lengthwise and cored

 
Instructions:

To Make Dough in a Food Processor:

Combine the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl and blend. Add the butter and shortening and blend until reduced to

1/2-inch pieces. Add the water a little at a time and blend until the dough just begins to come together in a rough mass.

To Make Dough by Hand:
 
Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and shortening and gently toss to coat with the flour mixture. Cut the pieces of fat into the flour mixture, using 2 knives, until they are no larger than small peas.

Trickle the water over the mixture and toss with a fork until the dough is evenly moist and begins to come together in a rough mass.

Transfer the dough to a work surface and shape into a 5-inch disk. Wrap with cling film and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours.

Lightly dust a work surface and a rolling pin with flour. Roll out the chilled dough into a 12-inch round and about 1/4 inch thick. Lift and turn the dough several times as you roll to preventit from sticking and dust the surface and the rolling pin with additional flour as needed. When finished, trim the dough into an 11-inch round. Slide a rimless baking sheet under the dough, cover with cling film and refrigerate until needed.

Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C.

To Make the Filling:
 
Set a 10-inch straight-sided, ovenproof frying pan, preferably cast iron, over medium heat and heat the butter.

When the butter has melted, sprinkle the sugar evenly over it and continue cooking until the sugar melts and turns dark golden in colour, about 3 to 4 minutes. Shake and swirl the pan frequently to move the sugar for even melting and caramelisation.

Arrange the apples,core side up,in the caramel in a close even layer. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for about 15 minutes, until the apples are just tender. The caramel will bubble up around the apples. Remove the pan from the heat.

Uncover the pastry round. When the bubbling has subsided, slide both hands under the pastry round and carefully place it on top of the apples, tucking in the edges and being careful not to burn your fingers. Bake for about 30 minutes and the crust is golden brown.

When cooked, transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Place a large flat serving plate upside down on top of the pan then turn the pan and plate together, ending up with the pan on  top of the plate. Lift off the pan.

Slice and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.