Yet another day of frost this winter. The air is chilled in the morning, but the sky is a brilliant blue with no clouds. Apples are in season and plenty can be found, neatly displayed in stores. They look pretty, but have no aroma; plus I really do not care to see a mountain of apples, each wearing a plastic sticker/barcode. Of course, it is not only apples, but bananas, pears… almost everything. It makes it seem that there are no more natural products, just manufactured food.
I live in the heart of Silicon Valley, so I take advantage of a lot of today’s advanced technology. I have an iPhone, even though I really don’t need it. But people think there is something wrong with me if I do not have one. I work in or near my home, where I have a couple good computers. I still also have a $15 flip phone with which I can call or text to France or Japan with no problem, and in fact it has better reception than my new iPhone. A co-worker once told me that I am the “last person on Earth to still use a flip phone.” But I keep carrying it, because it’s so simple and handy. I am not giving it up yet! So most of the time my iPhone just sits on the dining room table… what a waste.
Anyway, about apples… I really don’t get why the hell every single fruit needs a plastic sticker, even organic fruit and vegetables.
I have not been satisfied with grocery store apples this year, so I headed to the farmers market this beautiful Sunday morning. There were so many cute, but not so pretty, apples… but no plastic stickers, and the smell and taste are wonderful. So I bought more than I need again.
I don’t eat raw apples very often, but I could eat Tarte Tatin every day! It is one of the first desserts I learned when I became a cook, and is still a favorite.
- 1¼ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 stick (110 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 3 tablespoons cold water or more as needed
- 4-5 golden delicious apples (or Granny Smiths if you like crisp and tart)
- Juice of a half lemon
- 1/3 cup (70 g) plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Optional: Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream as accompaniment
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt and toss together. Add the butter using your fingertips, two knives, or a pastry cutter, and cut the mixture until crumbly. Add the water, working quickly, to blend the ingredients with floured hands, and pat the dough into two smooth, flat pucks. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to a couple days. (You may also mix the dough using a food processor fitted with a steel blade, using pulse mode.)
- Core, peel and halve the apples lengthwise into about 1-inch wedges, and toss in a bowl with lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of sugar.
- Place a rack in the center of oven and preheat to 375° F.
- In two 6-inch skillets (or one 10-inch) melt the butter over medium-heat, then stir in the 1/3 cup sugar and cook without stirring until the syrup bubbles/caramelizes and turns an amber color. Remove the skillet(s) from heat and arrange apple slices in a neat pattern on top of the caramel. At this point, you may return the skillet(s) to the stove to cook the apples about 4-5 minutes (if using tart/sour apples) without stirring. Remove from heat and set aside.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough until about 1/8 inch thick and a little larger than the diameter of the skillets. Place the dough over the apples, pressing it lightly on the top and around the edge of the skillets. Cut a few small steam holes on the top of the dough. Bake until the pastry top is browned and crisped, about 22-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the tart rest for 5 minutes.
- Unmold the tart onto a serving plate (so pastry/crust is now on the bottom). Serve warm or room temperature, with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.
Good delicioso