Apple Tarte Tatin

I'm a chocolate dessert kind of girl. If it's not chocolate, preferably dark chocolate, I usually can't be bothered. There are a few exceptions to this rule. One of those exceptions is an apple tarte tatin so when I was flipping through the latest issue of Cooking Light, enjoying all the fall flavors that are on their way, and I happened upon a recipe for tarte tatin, I knew I had to make it. The boyfriend has deemed this recipe a certain keeper and the smell that it filled my kitchen with as the sugar caramelized at the bottom of my cast iron pan is divine. 

Apple Tarte Tatin

Adapted from Cooking Light October 2008

Serves 6 - 8 depending on slice size

Crust

1 cup flour

1 T sugar

1/2 t salt

6 T unsalted butter

2 T ice water

Filling

3 pounds small gala apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges

1 T lemon juice

1/4 t salt

2 T unsalted butter

3/4 cup sugar

Place flour, sugar and salt for the crust in a food processor and pulse to combine. Cut 6 T butter into small pieces and add to the flour. Pulse until mixture becomes crumbly. Add ice water and pulse until clumps start to form. Dump out the contents of the food processor onto a piece of saran wrap, form a disc and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Mix the apples with the lemon juice and 1/4 t salt and set aside. Melt 2 T butter in a 9 1/2" cast-iron pan and add 3/4 cup sugar. Melt, stirring constantly, until the sugar and butter become liquid and start to caramelize. Remove the pan from heat and arrange half of the apple slices in a circle with the rounded side down. Cover with the remaining apple slices with their rounded sides up (as shown below). Return the pan to medium heat and cook for 15 minutes. Again, remove from the heat and let stand for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 400* and roll out the pie dough to a 10 - 11" circle. Cover the apple mixture with the dough, tucking the overhang down under the apples. Cut a few vents for steam and bake for 45 minutes. Let stand for a few minutes before inverting on a plate to serve, apple side up and enjoy!