Tarte tatin

Method

Roll the pastry to a 3mm-thick round on a lightly floured surface and cut a 24cm circle, using a plate as a guide.

Dock the pastry (lightly prick all over with a fork), place on a baking sheet, then cover with greaseproof paper and freeze while preparing the apples.

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/350F/gas 4.

Peel, quarter and core the apples cover with salted cold water untill needed (this will keep them from going brown)

Put the sugar in a heatproof 20cm ceramic tatin dish or a 20cm  ovenproof heavy-based frying pan and place over a medium-high heat.

Cook the sugar for 5-7 mins, swirl to mix in the sugar and prevent from burning, untill its a dark amber caramel syrup that’s starting to smoke, then turn off the heat and stir in the 60g diced chilled butter.

To put the tarte tatin together, arrange the apple quarters very tightly in a neat circle around the edge of the dish (Tarte tatin dish is perfect) first, rounded-side down, then fill in the middle in a similar fashion.

Gently press with your hands to ensure there are no gaps.

Brush the fruit with the melted butter.

Bake in the oven for 30 mins, then remove and place the disc of frozen puff pastry on top – it should quickly defrost.

Tuck the edges down the inside of the dish and, with a knife, prick a few holes in the pastry to allow steam to escape.

Bake for a further 40-45 mins until the pastry is golden brown and crisp.

Run a knife around the edge of the dish and invert it onto a large serving plate that is deep enough to contain the caramel sauce (juices.)

Serve hot with good vanilla ice cream.