Delia Smith's caramelised apple flan (Tarte Tatin)

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Ishbel

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Taken from one of Delia's cook books (think it is the Delia Smith's Complete Cookery course)

Caramelised Apple Flan

This is from a French recipe called tarte Tatin – it's baked, chilled and then served upside down.

Serves 4-6

For the filling:

1 lb (450 g) Bramley apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 lb (450 g) Cox's apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
4 oz (110 g) soft dark brown sugar
1 level teaspoon powdered cinnamon


For the pastry:
4 oz (110g) plain flour
pinch of salt
2 oz (50 g) butter, at room temperature


You will also need an 8 inch (20 cm) cake tin, brushed with melted butter with a circle of silicone paper (baking parchment), also brushed with melted butter, covering the base.

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4, 350°F (180°C).

To make the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl, holding the sieve up as high as possible to give the flour an airing. Then cut the butter into small cubes and add to the flour. Now, using your fingertips, lightly and gently rub the pieces of fat into the flour – lifting your hands up high as you do this (again to incorporate air) and being as quick as possible.

When the mixture looks uniformly crumbly, start to sprinkle roughly 1 tablespoon of cold water all over. Use a round-bladed knife to start the mixing, cutting and bringing the mixture together. Carefully add more water if needed, a little at a time, then finally bring the mixture together with your hands to form a smooth ball of dough that will leave the bowl clean (if there are any bits that won't adhere to it, you need a spot more water). Now rest the pastry, wrapped in foil or in a polythene bag, in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes before rolling out.

Cover the base of the prepared tin with brown sugar, pressing it down evenly and well. Now sprinkle on the cinnamon, and then arrange the sliced apples neatly, the Cox's first, making sure they're pressed well down.

Roll out the pastry to a thickness of about 1/2 in (1 cm) and cut out a circle that will fit the top of the tin. Cover the apples with the pastry, pressing it down gently. Place in the centre of the oven for 40 minutes until the pastry is golden.

When the tart is quite cold, loosen it round the edges, cover with a plate and carefully turn it all upside down, then remove the tin and the silicone paper.

Serve it with crème fraîche.
 
What an interesting recipe, Ishbel! Sounds very delicious!

Would you tell me about your Cox and Bramley apple varieties? Are they different from each other in taste? Are they tart, sweet? And how big are they?
 
Bramley apples are the premier UK cooking apple - they go nice and 'fluffy' when baked or made into an apple sauce, say for serving with roast pork.

Cox's orange pippins are smaller, eating apples. They remain firm when cooked (obviously NOT if they are overcooked!!!) and therefore retain their shape when baked in the tatin. Cox's have a nuttier flavour than most apples... This site has photographs of both Cox's and Bramleys, as well as many other British varieties of apples. I have Cox's, Bramleys, Sturmer Pippins, Egremont Russet and an unknown variety of eating apple in my orchard. All wonderful to eat! http://www.ronnieappleseed.co.uk/variety.html

I make apple tatin and pear tatin, using this recipe. I have never had a failure with anything that I've tried from any Delia Smith cookbook (and I have every one of her books!)
 
I agree with you Ishbel, you can't go wrong with Delia, and whilst I love this site to little bits, I must admit to visiting her website regularly,
www.deliaonline.com
Many of her recipes are on line and there is a good search facility.
 
Thank you, dear Kyles!!! What a great site to find...and with Lancashire Hotpot at the dead-center top of the page!!! I will be poking around in there quite a bit, now that it's bookmarked...!

The things a person can learn about on this site!
 
Yes, it's an excellent site!

My copy of her Christmas book is well-thumbed! I use her mulled wine recipe for major Christmas drinks events at work - 300 plus are catered for - it takes quite a bit of wine and brandy, I can tell you!
 

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