Miles Collins

A fancy upside down dessert made easy

Tart tatin is a great dessert regardless of the fruit used, personal favourites (in order) would be; apple, pear, banana and plum. It’s just a great dessert for the autumn and winter, served warm with a scoop of good ice cream for temperature contrast and extra sauce there is nothing more you need.

Essentially an inverted apple tart supposedly invented by two sisters called Tatin from Orleans (computer text prevents me from spelling this correctly) in France there are any number of combinations. For apple, pear and plum tatins I use a round ovenproof frying pan so the fruit is layered in a circle but with a banana I mould the pastry around the fruit to retain the shape and offer an unexpected presentation at the same time.

For a two portion tart you will need a pan 15cm/6in across and 5cm/2in deep.

100g/4oz unsalted butter 90g/3.5oz caster sugar 100g/4/oz puff pastry 2 apples peeled, cored and cut in half cinnamon to taste.

Preheat your oven to about 180 degrees C. Rub the butter over the surface of your pan and dust with the sugar and cinnamon. Line the pan with the apple pieces (remember that how you arrange them is how they will eventually appear so symmetry is something to bear in mind here) round side down. A small piece of cinnamon stick can be put in the centre for extra flavour.

Roll out your puff pastry, your pan is 15 cm across so allow an extra three centimetres or so. Trim the edges and lay carefully over the apples before securing it in and around the sides of the apples to envelope the whole thing.

Now put the pan on the stove top on a gentle to medium heat so the butter and sugar melt into one another to make a caramel which will begin to appear in and around the edges.

Put the tatin in the hot oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the pastry is well cooked.

Put the pan back on the stove and wait for the caramel to begin bubbling, loosen the tart and then turn out onto your serving plate. Serve with a good quality vanilla ice cream.