Page 144 - Pie It Forward: Pies, Tarts, Tortes, Galettes, and Other Pastries Reinvented

1
. Roll the puff pastry into a rough 11-inch (28-cm) round, dock it, and
refrigerate it for at least 20 minutes.

2
. Toss the apples with the lemon juice. Set them aside.

3
. In a 10-inch (25-cm) ovenproof skillet, melt the butter with the
vanilla over low heat. Sprinkle this mixture with the brown sugar
and salt. Continue to cook, stirring, until the sugar has melted.

4
. Arrange the apples symmetrically in the skillet, spacing them as
closely as possible so there are few gaps. You won’t be able to fit
all the apples in, but as they cook and their juices are released,

they will shrink. Whenever you see gaps, add more slices of apple
so that you are left with a packed layer of apples with little or no
space between the pieces.

5
. Cook until the sugar turns golden brown. This should take 25 to 30
minutes. Set the skillet aside to cool for 15 minutes.

6
. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the round of puff pastry
over the apples. Tuck in the excess dough around the edges,
between the skillet and the apples.

7
. Bake the tart for 30 minutes, or until the pastry has browned and is
fully cooked through.

8
. Allow the tart to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. The caramel syrup on
the bottom of the pan needs time to set, but you do not want it to

cool so much that the apples stick (if this happens, gently warm the
pan over low heat on your stovetop to loosen them).
9
. Invert a large serving plate on top of the skillet and flip the tart over

to release it onto the plate. Don’t burn yourself! Serve the tart with
the whipped cream.