Apple Tart Tatin

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

150g caster sugar.

40ml water.

50g unsalted butter.

4 to 5 Braeburn apples.

Puff pastry (all butter or best quality you can find).

METHOD

Peel 4 to 5 medium size apples, core and halve from top to bottom. We use braeburn apples but you can mix it up. (This can be done the day before as it will dry the skin which helps caramelise them. It’s fine if they turn slightly brown as this is going to happen anyway).
In a 6-inch saucepan or heavy frying pan combine the water and sugar and set over a medium heat.
Without stirring, let the sugar caramelise but watch it carefully as you want it to slightly smoke and bring a little bitterness to the caramel. You want a balance that is not too sweet but definitely not burnt!
Take it off the heat and add the butter straight away which will cool it down slightly.
Place the apple halves around the edge of the pan standing up, tucked tightly and then fill the middle with any remaining so it all holds nicely.
Caramelise the apples in the pan on a medium/low heat for five minutes then place the pan on a wire rack and chill.
Roll out the puff pastry into an 8 inch circle, roughly 4mm thick.
Place the pastry over the apples and crimp the edges as neatly or rustically as you like, tucking them in around the edges of the apple inside the pan.
Put a small cross in the middle of the pastry to release any steam.
You can now bake the tart at 180° for 30-40 minutes until the pastry is nice and golden on top.
Once it has baked, let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Place a plate over the pan and flip out the tart – being careful not to spill any of the hot caramel!
We served this with Tonka bean ice cream in the Tasting Room restaurant but it works well with almost anything similar. Serve with a glass of our Sussex Sparkling Rosé Brut.