Tarte Tatin

This recipe for the classic tart created by the Tatin sisters from the French village of Lamotte-Beuvron comes from Joop Braakhekke. But originally, of course, it comes from the French sisters. The tart was once the specialty at the Parisian restaurant Chez Maxime. And crème fraîche on the side is a must.

Joop Braakhekke cooked the way he talked: slightly chaotically. For example, this recipe does not say how many apples are needed or which kind. And the recipe also seems to start somewhere in the middle. Ah well, a bit of puzzling. It will turn out delicious anyway.

Method

The caramel can be made in advance in a large frying pan with a little water and sugar. Pay close attention, because if it goes too fast, the sugar will burn, and burnt sugar tastes bitter. The caramel can also form during baking. For this, butter a baking tin — not a springform tin — very generously. Sprinkle 60 grams of sugar over it as a bed for the apples.

The dough is already waiting in the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 230 degrees. Peel the apples and arrange them neatly in thick wedges or simply halved in the bed of sugar. Once the clock is full, sprinkle another 60 grams of sugar over them. Now add 80 grams of butter in flakes, followed by the rolled-out sheet of dough. Bake it until done in 20–25 minutes.

Tip: prick holes in the dough to allow the steam to escape, which helps the pastry become beautifully crisp. It all seems so simple, but this tart is very easy to ruin. As mentioned, crème fraîche is a must with it!

The shortcrust pastry

Sift the flour into a bowl and make a well in the center. Put the salt, butter cut into pieces and egg yolks into the well. Sprinkle the sugar over the flour. Pour 3 tablespoons of water over everything and combine it as quickly as possible using your fingertips. Once it has formed a ball of dough, it can be kneaded with the heel of your hand.
Press the dough ball out thinly into a sheet 1 cm thick. Shape it into a ball again, wrap it in foil and let it rest in the refrigerator for 2 hours. It can then be rolled out again into a sheet 0.5 cm thick and used as instructed in the recipe.

Title: Het beste van Kookschrift van een Kookgek

Author: Joop Braakhekke

Publisher: Kosmos

Price: € 17.50.