Melinda Lee - Clear Channel, Los Angeles
Here is an apple pie with the crust on the bottom, but not the sides or
top. It’s a classic French creation that is often made by caramelizing
butter and sugar to coat the bottom of the baking pan. Topped with apples, and
finally the disc of crust dough, the tart is baked with the crust on top, and
turned out so that the crust (never soggy!) will be on the bottom when served.
Using that traditional technique, the apples very often stick to the caramelized
pan, and the result can require cons iderable cosmetic surgery for presentation.
With this brilliant method (courtesy of Maida Heatter) the filling mixture never
sticks to the pan, and the result is lovely every time. This version also makes
a “taller” tart, because she uses a deeper pan (she says the first
tart tatin she had at Maxim’s in Paris, France was as flat as a pizza).
If your pan is more shallow, just use fewer apples, and the result will be fine,
just thinner. Ms. Heatter also adds cinnamon, which is not traditional to the
French version - but delicious, and practically essential to us Americans!
It looks long and complicated, but this is an easy recipe - just carefully
detailed and explained. It is usually necessary to make the tart in advance,
so it can cool before being turned out. I think it is best (and easiest on me)
when made about 4 hours before serving, but it can be made early in the day
and refrigerated – or even composed early, but baked at the last minute,
and served hot.
SERVES 6 GENEROUSLY
for the pie crust:
1 cup, sifted all-purpose flour
just less than 1/2 teaspoon, salt
3 tablespoons, solid vegetable shortening – chilled
3 tablespoons, unsalted butter – chilled, cut into small pieces
about 3 tablespoons, ice water
for the tart filling:
melted butter to coat the sides of the pie pan
5 medium-size cooking apples (such as Granny Smith)
4 ounces (1 stick), unsalted butter - at room temperature (divided use)
3/4 cup, granulated sugar (divided use)
1 tablespoon, cinnamon
for the glaze:
1/2 cup (approximately), apricot preserves
To make the pie crust: In a mixing bowl, or the bowl of a food processor,
place the flour and salt. Add the shortening and butter. Using a pastry blender,
or the steel blade of the food processor, cut in or process (pulsing) the shortening
and butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (it’s
okay if a few pieces of butter are slightly larger: the size of peas).
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the water over the mixture, and blend again. Continue
adding the water by droplets, just until the flour is barely moistened. When
enough water has been added, you will be able to gather the mixture, using your
lightly floured hands, into a ball. Do not handle or process the dough more
than necessary to blend the ingredients, or you may melt the butter – add
drops of ice water only until a soft (not sticky) dough is made. Wrap the ball
of dough in plastic wrap, flatten it slightly, refrigerate, and allow the dough
to chill for an hour. [Note: if the dough was very lightly handled, and you
are pressed for time, you may not have to chill it for an entire hour.]
To make the tart: Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with oven rack positioned
about one-third up from the bottom of the oven.
Prepare a 10-inch X 1 3/4-inch deep Pyrex (glass) pie pan as follows: [Note:
if your pie pan is not as deep, simply use fewer apples, and your tart will
not be as tall.] Turn the pie pan over, center a 12-inch square of aluminum
foil over the bottom of the pan. Fold down the sides of the foil to shape it
to the pan, then remove the foil, turn the pan right-side-up, and place the
foil into the pan – pressing it into place. Smooth over the foil with your
fingers or a folded towel. Fold any corners or edges back over the rim of the
pie pan. Butter the sides only with melted butter, using a pastry brush or a
piece of waxed paper.
Peel the apples. Cut them into quarters and remove the cores. Cut each quarter
into 4 lengthwise slices; set aside.
Place 3 tablespoons of the butter and 1/3 cup of the sugar in a small pan over
moderate heat to melt the butter. Set aside.
Mix another 3 tablespoons of the sugar with the cinnamon; set aside.
Place the remaining 5 tablespoons of the butter (it should be softened, but
not melted) in the bottom of the foil-lined pie pan. With the back of a teaspoon,
spread it carefully over the bottom of the pan to cover the bottom. Evenly sprinkle
the remaining 6 tablespoons of sugar over the butter.
Now place some of the apple slices slightly overlapping each other, around
the outer edge of the pie pan, and then in the center. Sprinkle with about half
of the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Cover this with the remaining apple slices and
then the remaining cinnamon-sugar. Then pour over all the melted butter-and-sugar
mixture.
Cover the top of the apple filled pan with a piece of waxed paper and, using
your hands, press down on the waxed paper to press the apples into a compact,
rather smooth layer. Remove the waxed paper.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie crust dough into a circle as
wide as the pie pan. Use something the size of the pan as a pattern, and trim
the pastry with a pastry wheel, pizza cutter or sharp knife.
Carefully fold the pastry in half, then lift it, center it over the tart, unfold
it – and that is all (do not press it down on the edge of the pan).
To bake, turn out, and glaze the tart: Bake for about 35 minutes until
the crust has a nice golden color. Allow the tart to stand, on a wire rack,
for 2 or 3 hours until the bottom of the pan has cooled.
To turn out the tart, you will need a plate with a slight rim (there may be
a lot of juice). Cover the tart with the serving plate, and invert it quickly
(best over the sink, in case juices drip) holding the plate and the pie pan
firmly together. Then lift off the pie pan, and use a towel or paper towel to
absorb any juices around the plate edges, and leave it attractively clean. [The
faster you invert the tart, the less messy it will likely be.]
To glaze the tart, melt the apricot preserves in a small pan over moderate
heat; press the melted preserves through a sieve or strainer (discard solids),
then return the strained liquid to the pan and allow to boil for about 30 seconds
to thicken slightly. Brush the glaze over the tops of the apples.
Serve with creme fraiche or ice cream – or sweetened whipped cream, if
desired.
Recipe adapted from: Maida Heatter’s New Book of Great Desserts (Knopf)
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