The first and best tarte tatin I ever had was from Chef Michael Hutchings of Michael’s Waterside Inn in Santa Barbara, California (which, sadly, closed in 1993). I have been trying to recreate that exquisite taste ever since (I found Chef Michael’s recipe when researching this blog entry). The closest I’ve come so far is this recipe based on a recipe from Curtis Stone, the Take Home Chef. The next time I make it I will use Chef Michael’s recipe and let you know how it comes out.

There is a photo cookumentary for this here. You can also click on each step in the recipe to see a photo for that step.

Ingredients
7 tbsp. butter at room temperature
½ cup sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla bean paste or the seeds from the inside of 1 vanilla bean
2 apples (I like Fuji)
1 sheet of puff pastry (defrosted but kept in the refrigerator)

Recipe
1) Peel, core and thinly slice the apples. I use an apple corer / slicer to slice it into eight sections and then I cut each section into thirds.
2) Turn a 8 – 9 inch skillet upside down and use it to cut a circle out of the puff pastry.
3) Using your fingers spread the butter over the bottom of an 8 – 9 inch skillet.
4) Sprinkle sugar evenly over butter.
5) Add vanilla on top of sugar.
6) Cook over medium heat until the sugar and butter melt and turn golden brown.
7) Remove from heat and add apple slices building up in layers from the bottom.
8) Top with puff pastry and dock (prick holes) with a fork and tuck edges down sealing in the apples.
9) Cook in a pre-heated 375°F oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until the pastry is browned.
10) Let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes. Return to high heat just until the caramel bubbles. Remove from heat, invert serving plate over skillet and quickly turn over onto serving plate.