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PEAR TARTE TATIN



    Tarte Tatin is one of those dishes that seem so simple to make... until you attempt it. Granted it's not the most complicated thing to make, but getting the pastry crispy, the caramel soft and gooey, and the fruit (traditionally apples) just right... it takes a bit of effort. But trust me, the first bite makes it all worth it. It's a recipe that doesn't take too long to make or present, especially since a rustic look is much more inviting, so I figured I'd create a fool-proof recipe that takes the frustration out of making this otherwise really fun and easy dish!


    This Pear Tarte Tatin is an absolute delight that's perfect for all seasons... have it right out of the oven for a warm and gooey autumn indulgence, or serve it with a dollop of homemade vanilla bean ice-cream for a cool and creamy touch in warmer weather. It's a wonderful, homely centerpiece and it's versatility is why I love it so much! You can even make individual portions.


    PREP TIME: 15 minutes

    BAKING TIME: 40 minutes

    SERVES: 8



    INGREDIENTS

    • 500g puff pastry slab, thawed

    • 4-5 medium Bartlett pears

    For caramel:

    • 3/4 cup granulated sugar

    • 3tbsp water

    • 3tsp lemon juice

    • 60g butter, cold

    Equipment needed:

    • Heavy bottom non-stick/ cast iron pan about 9inch in diameter


    METHOD

    1. Roll the puff pastry into a 10x10 inch wide square, about 1/8th inch thick. Cut a 9 inch big pastry circle with the help of a dinner plate or a baking tin. Gently transfer it on the lined baking sheet/tray and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

    2. In the cast iron skillet or heavy bottom non-stick pan, combine sugar, water and lemon juice and bring it to boil on medium high heat. Once it starts bubbling, immediately reduce heat to low and cook until mixture turns into amber colour. Remove from fire and stir in the cold butter.

    3. Preheat the oven to 180°C

    4. Peel, cut in half and core the pears with the melon baller tool. Set aside one pear half and cut the remaining halves into quarters.

    5. Decoratively arrange the pear quarters evenly in a circle over the caramel sauce, keeping the cut side up and pointy side facing the center. Slightly trim off the ridge of reserved pear half and place in the center, trim side up.

    6. Place the rolled pastry circle on top and tuck the edges inwards. Using a small knife put 3-4 small cuts in the pastry to stop it from rising too high. Cover the skillet with the foil and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake further for 20-25 minutes more until golden brown.

    7. Let it rest in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edges to loosen the pastry. Place a rimmed platter over skillet, quickly and carefully invert. Serve warm as it is or with a scoop of ice cream on top.


    COOK'S NOTES

    • I used Bartlett pears which are perfect for this recipe as they are juicy and soft and works perfectly for baking and poaching.

    • You can also use green Anjou pears if you can’t find Bartlett pears.

    • Chilling the pastry after rolling is an important step as it help making the pastry more flaky.

    • I used Bartlett pears which are best for cooking or making the tart but if you can’t find Bartlett pears you can always use Anjou pears as well which are best used for preserving.

    • If you replace the butter with your favourite plant-based alternative, and use a vegan-friendly puff pastry, you can easily convert this into a vegan recipe.

    APRICOT AND NECTARINE PIE


      Hey everyone! It’s summer in Oman, but honestly, when is it not! You get to see lot of stone fruits in supermarkets, so I picked up these luscious golden apricots and juicy nectarines, and made this quick rustic pie for my friend’s farewell lunch. It’s super simple, easy, quick and very delicious.


      Serve it with a generous scoop of ice cream and you will love the perfect marriage of those piquant tangy sweet fruits and creamy sweetness of vanilla ice cream! I was almost gonna put the scoops of ice-cream on top to take a shot but my pie was still quite warm to hold the shape of scoops intact. I just couldn’t wait any longer for it to cool down completely to take that perfect shot of pie topped with ice-cream as the sun was going down rapidly and was almost getting dusky and I didn’t want to lose that perfect lighting from the sun for my photo shoot. So here’s my virtual treat for you guys.




      SERVES: 8-10

      PREP TIME: 30 minutes

      BAKING TIME: 40 minutes

      TOTAL TIME: 1 hours



      INGREDIENTS


      For Pastry:

      • 1 1/4 cup plain flour

      • 1/2 cup/ 115g cold unsalted butter, diced

      • 1/2 tsp salt

      • 1 tbsp caster sugar

      For Filling:

      • 4-5 apricots

      • 2-3 nectarines

      • 4 tbsp caster sugar

      • 3-4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, diced

      • 1 egg



      METHOD

      1. To make pastry, in an electric mixer bowl, add flour, salt, sugar and butter, blend with a paddle attachment until the mixture resembles wet sand; add cold water, starting with 3 tbsp, pulse for few seconds until the dough combines together and forms a ball along the side of blender bowl, if it’s still not combined together add additional tablespoon of water.

      2. Now, take pastry dough out on a floured surface and gently roll it into a ball, take care not to over work the dough. Tightly close it in plastic wrap, refrigerate for 30 minutes.

      3. Preheat oven to 180°C, line the large baking tray with parchment paper.

      4. Remove pastry dough from fridge, unwrap and roll it down on a floured surface into 12” circle, place rolled dough on a prepared tray, slightly make a mark by very gently pressing a 9” pastry pan into the center of the dough to make the indentation for you to know how far you need to spread the fruit slices.

      5. Wash and dry the apricots and nectarines, cut them into 1cm thick slices, arrange the slices by slightly overlapping each other and cover the whole marked surface of pastry, leaving the edges blank.

      6. Sprinkle sugar over apricot and nectarine slices and place small knobs of butter all over. Lift the blank pastry on top of the sliced fruit, and fold the pastry every 3-4 inches as you go around to secure the filling inside.

      7. Lightly beat the egg and brush the bare edges of the pastry and bake it in the oven for 35-40 minutes until edges turn golden brown. Let it rest to cool before transferring to the serving platter. Serve it with vanilla ice-cream.


      COOK'S NOTES:

      • To make it vegan, omit regular butter and the egg wash in pastry and use non-dairy butter and milk instead.



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