Tarte Tatin

Tarte Tatin
Serves 10-12

Sour Cream Pastry
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut in pieces
6 tablespoons sour cream

Apple Filling
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tblsp. sugar
5 lbs. Granny Smith apples, peeled, quartered and cored
1 egg, beaten to blend, for glaze

Blend flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl of a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
Add butter and beat at medium-low speed until butter is size of peas, about 3 minutes.
Add sour cream and beat until moist clumps form, about 1 minute. Gather dough into ball, flatten and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. (Can be made one day ahead. Keep refrigerated.) Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.

Spread butter over bottom of large oven-proof skillet with sloping sides. Reserve 2 tablespoons of sugar. Sprinkle remaining sugar over butter. Place skillet over medium-low heat and cook until butter melts, sugar begins to dissolve and mixture starts to bubble, about 3 minutes.
Remove from heat. Arrange apples on their sides around edge of skillet, placing tightly together. Place reamining apples in a circle in center of skillet, core side facing up. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar.
Set skillet over medium-high heat. Boil until a thick amber coloured syrup forms, repositioning skillet to ensure even cooking, about 30 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
Note: Do not allow syrup to darken on stove; it will continue to darken while baking.

Meanwhile, as apple mixture is cooking on stove, preheat oven to 425 F.
Roll out pastry on floured surface or parchment paper to a round shape to fit size of skillet. Place over apple mixture once removed from stove. Cut 4 slits in top of pastry. Press down around apples at edge of skillet; brush pastry with some of the egg glaze.

Bake tart until pastry is deep golden brown, about 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool one minute. Cut around edge of skillet to loosen pastry. Place large platter over skillet. Using oven mitts, hold skillet and platter together tightly together and invert tart onto platter. Cool 30 minutes.

Cut in wedges and serve with dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Notes:
Pastry dough may be frozen up to one month in freezer before rolling. Allow to defrost in refrigerator overnight.
Once tart has been inverted onto a platter, and if a more caramelized effect is desired, place the platter (ovenproof) under oven grill to allow further browning.
Apples may be substituted with another fruit such as pear or fresh apricot.
Tarte Tatin is traditionally served slightly warm or at room temperature.