Peachtartetatin Recipes

Steps:

• Roll the pastry to a 3mm-thick round on a lightly floured surface and cut a 24cm circle, using a plate as a guide. Lightly prick all over with a fork, place on a baking sheet, then cover and freeze while preparing the apples.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Peel, quarter and core the apples. Put the sugar in a flameproof 20cm ceramic tatin dish or a 20cm ovenproof heavy-based frying pan and place over a medium-high heat. Cook the sugar for 5-7 mins to a dark amber caramel syrup that's starting to smoke, then turn off the heat and stir in the 60g diced chilled butter.
• To assemble the tarte tatin, arrange the apple quarters very tightly in a circle around the edge of the dish first, rounded-side down, then fill in the middle in a similar fashion. Gently press with your hands to ensure there are no gaps. Brush the fruit with the melted butter.
• Bake in the oven for 30 mins, then remove and place the disc of frozen puff pastry on top - it will quickly defrost. Tuck the edges down the inside of the dish and, with a knife, prick a few holes in the pastry to allow steam to escape. Bake for a further 40-45 mins until the pastry is golden brown and crisp.
• Allow to cool to room temperature for 1 hr before running a knife around the edge of the dish and inverting it onto a large serving plate that is deep enough to contain the juices. Serve with crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll puff pastry to an 11 1/2-inch square; using a plate as a guide, cut out an 11-inch round. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• In a medium cast-iron or ovenproof nonstick skillet, combine sugar, vinegar, and 2 tablespoons water. Cook over medium heat, without stirring, until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in butter. Arrange pear wedges in a circle along the edge of skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until pears are crisp-tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
• Drape chilled pastry round over pears, tucking edge under. Place a small oven-safe plate or pot lid on top of pastry; bake 15 minutes. Remove plate; continue to bake until pastry is golden brown, about 15 minutes more. Let tart cool in skillet, 15 minutes. Run a knife around edge of skillet, and carefully invert tart onto a serving plate. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Core the pears, then peel as neatly as possible and halve. If you like, they can be prepared up to a day ahead and kept in the fridge, uncovered, so that they dry out.
• Tip the sugar, butter, star anise, cardamom and cinnamon into an ovenproof frying pan, about 20cm wide, and place over a high heat until bubbling. Shake the pan and stir the buttery sauce until it separates and the sugar caramelises to a toffee colour.
• Lay the pears in the pan, then cook in the sauce for 10-12 mins, tossing occasionally, until completely caramelised. Don't worry about them burning - they won't - but you want to caramelise them as much as possible. Splash in the brandy and let it flambé, then set the pears aside.
• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Roll the pastry out to the thickness of a £1 coin. Using a plate slightly larger than the top of the pan, cut out a circle, then press the edges of the circle of pastry to thin them out.
• When the pears have cooled slightly, arrange them in the pan, cut side up, in a floral shape, with the pears around the edge pointing inwards. Rest the cinnamon stick on the top in the centre, with the cardamom pods scattered around.
• Drape the pastry over the pears, then tuck the edges down the pan sides and under the fruit (see Gordon's guide). Pierce the pastry a few times, then bake for 15 mins. If a lot of juice bubbles up the side of the pan, pour it off at this stage (see guide). Reduce oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and bake for 15 mins more until the pastry is golden. Leave the tart to stand for 10 mins, then invert it carefully onto a serving dish.

Steps:

• Remove refrigerated pie crust from package, and follow manufacturer's suggestions for unrolling crust. Set aside.
• Combine nutmeg, ginger, and 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl.
• Peel, quarter, and core 4 pears. Slice each quarter into 3 slices, from core end to bottom, and place in a large bowl. Cut remaining pear in half; peel, and core one half and add to the bowl. Peel, core, and slice the other half as directed above and add to the bowl. Drizzle pears with bourbon and sprinkle with spice-sugar mix, tossing to evenly coat.
• Melt butter in a 9-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add 2/3 cup white sugar and salt to the melted butter, stirring to combine until mixture bubbles, 2 to 3 minutes. Place the single pear half in the center of the skillet. Fan remaining pear slices around the center, core end to the outside of the skillet and stem end toward the center. If possible, turn the pieces in the same direction. Keep adding pear slices, filling in any gaps, until they are all in the skillet.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, undisturbed, until pears are fork-tender and color develops to the liquid, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place a baking sheet on a rack in the lower third of the oven.
• Remove skillet from heat and place unbaked pie shell on top of the fruit, using a fork to tuck the edges of the pie shell toward the bottom of the skillet. Place skillet on the prepared baking sheet in the preheated oven. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake until crust is brown, 28 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Place a heat-safe plate, larger than the skillet, upside down over the crust.
• Use oven mitts to grab the plate and skillet together and quickly flip the skillet contents onto the plate; this move is tricky and requires some forearm strength and dexterity. After the flip, if the contents are not centered on the plate, use a spatula to gently move to the center. Add any fruit that remained in the skillet, and drizzle any remaining liquid over the top of the tarte tatin.
• Allow to sit 15-20 minutes, then serve warm.

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, place the flours, sugar and butter. Pulse 5 or 6 times in 1/2-second bursts to break up the butter. Add the shortening, turn on the machine and immediately add the ice water, pulsing 2 or 3 times. The dough should look like a mass of smallish lumps and should just hold together in a mass when a handful is pressed together. If the mixture is too dry, pulse in more water by droplets.
• Turn the dough out onto the work surface and with the heel of your hand, rapidly and roughly push egg-size blobs into a 6-inch smear. Gather the dough into a relatively smooth cake, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours (or up to 2 days).
• Slice the halved apples into 4 lengthwise wedges each, and toss in a large bowl with the lemon juice and zest and 1/2 cup sugar. Drain the apples after macerating 20 minutes.
• In a 9-inch skillet melt the butter over high heat. Stir in the remaining sugar and cook until the syrup bubbles and caramelizes, and turns a brown color. Remove the pan from the heat and arrange a layer of apple slices in a neat pattern on the caramel in the skillet, then arrange the remaining apples neatly on top.
• Return the pan to moderately high heat and cook for about 25 minutes, covering the pan after 10 minutes. Every few minutes press down on the apples and baste them with the exuded juices. When the juices are thick and syrupy, remove the pan from the heat.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a circle, 3/16-inch thick and 1-inch larger than the top of the pan. Drape the dough over the apples, pressing the edge of the dough between the apples and the inside of the pan. Cut 4 small steam holes on the top of the dough. Bake until the pastry has browned and crisped, about 20 minutes.
• Unmold the tart onto a serving dish (so the pastry is on the bottom), and serve warm or cold with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, as desired.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine sugar, 3 tablespoons water, and light corn syrup in small nonstick skillet. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of skillet with wet pastry brush and swirling skillet, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Quickly stir in unsalted butter, fresh lemon juice, and salt. Immediately pour caramel into nonstick 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 1 1/2-inch-high sides.
• Place unpeeled peach quarters, skin side down, in concentric circles atop caramel in cake pan, covering caramel completely. Bake until peaches are just tender, about 30 minutes. Remove cake pan from oven.
• Roll out puff pastry sheet on lightly floured work surface to 12-inch square. Using 10-inch-diameter tart pan bottom or plate as guide, cut out round. Pierce pastry all over with fork. Cover peaches in cake pan with pastry round; press pastry down around peaches at edge of cake pan.
• Bake tart until pastry is puffed and deep golden, about 27 minutes. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Let stand in cake pan at room temperature. Rewarm tart in 350°F oven for 10 minutes before continuing.) Let tart rest 5 minutes. Cut around edge of cake pan to loosen pastry. Place large platter over cake pan. Using oven mitts, hold cake pan and platter firmly together and invert, allowing tart to settle onto platter. Carefully lift off cake pan. Rearrange any peaches that may have become dislodged. Cool tart 30 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon peel. Cut warm tart into wedges; serve with whipped cream.

Steps:

• For crust---------------.
• Blend first 5 ingredients in processor.
• Using on/off turns, cut in butter until coarse meal forms.
• Add 3 tablespoons ice water and vinegar; using on/off turns, blend until moist clumps form, adding more water if dough is dry.
• Gather dough into ball.
• Flatten into disk.
• Wrap in plastic; chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 11-inch round.
• Transfer to rimless baking sheet.
• Cover and refrigerate while preparing filling.
• For filling--------------.
• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Stir sugar and 3 tablespoons water in heavy ovenproof (preferably cast-iron) 9-inch-diameter skillet with 2-inch-high sides over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
• Increase heat to high and boil without stirring until syrup turns light amber color, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush, about 6 minutes.
• Turn off heat.
• Add butter; stir until melted and smooth.
• Cool 2 minutes.
• Place 1 peach half, rounded side down, in center of pan.
• Arrange peach quarters close together, rounded side down, in concentric circles around peach half.
• Press remaining peach half and quarters, rounded side down, atop first layer.
• Cook over medium heat until caramel is bubbling thickly, about 20 minutes.
• Place chilled pastry atop hot fruit.
• Let stand 3 minutes to soften.
• Tuck dough edges around fruit.
• Bake tart until crust is golden and filling thickens and darkens, about 30 minutes.
• Cool in pan on rack 10 minutes.
• Place platter atop skillet.
• Using oven mitts, invert tart onto platter.
• Serve warm with whipped cream.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Blanch peaches in boiling water 15 to 20 seconds; remove with a slotted spoon. Use a paring knife to peel and cut peaches in half. Remove pits, and reserve four peach halves. Quarter remaining peach halves.
• Butter four 5-inch tart pans with removable bottoms; dust with sugar. Arrange eight peach segments around edge of each pan, and place a reserved peach half cut side up in the center. Loosely wrap bottoms of pans with foil; place on baking sheet. Bake until peaches are tender and sugar and juices start to caramelize, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes.
• Cover tart pans with a layer of plastic wrap, and place another baking sheet on top to gently flatten peaches. Place filled cans or other weights on top of the baking sheet, and transfer to refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour.
• Raise oven temperature to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry to 1/8 inch thick, and cut out four 5 1/2-inch circles. Place rounds on buttered rimmed baking sheet, and transfer to freezer for 10 minutes. Remove from freezer, and place another baking sheet, buttered on the bottom, on top of the pastry rounds. Bake until golden brown and crisp, about 30 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
• Make caramel sauce: Combine remaining 3/4 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons butter with the water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, gently swirling pan occasionally to evenly color, until caramel is a medium amber color, 6 to 8 minutes. Wash down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Remove from heat, and slowly add heavy cream, stirring to combine. Be careful when adding cream to the caramel, as it will bubble vigorously. Set aside.
• Remove tarts from refrigerator, and place a pastry crust on top of each. Invert onto serving plates; pour about 3 tablespoons caramel sauce over each. Garnish with pistachios or sugared almonds, if desired. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. Melt the butter in a medium ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the sugar and salt until it looks like wet sand. Reduce the heat to medium and add the peaches. Cook, shaking the skillet, until the syrup is dark brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, trim the corners from the puff pastry to make a round. Remove the skillet from the heat and top the peaches with the puff pastry, tucking in the edges; cut three 2-inch slits into the top.
• Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the skillet, then invert onto a rimmed serving plate.

Steps:

• For crust:
• Blend first 5 ingredients in processor. Using on/off turns, cut in butter until coarse meal forms. Add 3 tablespoons ice water and vinegar; using on/off turns, blend until moist clumps form, adding more water if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball. Flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 11-inch round. Transfer to rimless baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate while preparing filling.
• For filling:
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Stir sugar and 3 tablespoons water in heavy ovenproof (preferably cast-iron) 9-inch-diameter skillet with 2-inch-high sides over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and boil without stirring until syrup turns light amber color, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush, about 6 minutes. Turn off heat. Add butter; stir until melted and smooth. Cool 2 minutes. Place 1 peach half, rounded side down, in center of pan. Arrange peach quarters close together, rounded side down, in concentric circles around peach half. Press remaining peach half and quarters, rounded side down, atop first layer. Cook over medium heat until caramel is bubbling thickly, about 20 minutes.
• Place chilled pastry atop hot fruit. Let stand 3 minutes to soften. Tuck dough edges around fruit. Bake tart until crust is golden and filling thickens and darkens, about 30 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 10 minutes. Place platter atop skillet. Using oven mitts, invert tart onto platter. Serve warm with whipped cream.