Grandpa Al’s Favorite Apple Tarte Tatin

Ingredients

• •Frozen puff pastry
• •9 crisp apples
• •1 cup granulated sugar
• •1 pinch salt
• •9 T. unsalted butter (diced)
• •2 T. fresh lemon juice
• •for serving whipped cream or sour cream + brown sugar

Instructions

1. Have ready a 12" skillet and 10” skillet that are at least 1" deep. Rub a bit of butter inside the pans. Cook on stove in 12” skillet, bake in 10” skillet.
2. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
3. Thaw one sheet of puff pastry and chill.
4. Next, peel and core the apples. Slice each apple into 6 equal-sized lobes. Set aside.
5. In a skillet over medium-low, add the sugar in an even layer. Let the sugar melt without stirring until it's bubbling and fully dissolved. Keep an eye on it, it can burn! To evenly distribute the sugar during cooking, tilt the pan gently--do not stir with an implement. If any sugar crystals get on the edge of the pan and won't drop back down, use a pastry brush dipped in water to nudge them back in.
6. Once the sugar is turning a light golden color, add the butter a few pieces at a time. Be careful-it will splatter!
7. Once all of the butter is incorporated, add the apples to the pan. Cook the apples in the caramel sauce, while stirring occasionally, until the caramel turns a deep amber brown. It will thicken to the consistency of maple syrup.
8. Remove the apples from the pan (reserving the caramel sauce), and arrange them prettily in the cast iron skillets, cut side up. Use one piece in the center to 'anchor' the design, and arrange the slices around. Cram the apples in tight, they will shrink as it bakes.
9. Next, to the reserved caramel sauce in the pan, add the salt and lemon juice. Swirl to stir. Pour this mixture evenly over the apples in the skillet.
10. Next, remove the puff pastry from the fridge and flour a surface. Roll the pastry out to a circle of dough. Move the dough to the skillet to cover the apples. Tuck the excess pastry down towards the bottom of the pan.
11. Bake for 20 minutes. When done, the surface of the puff pastry should look dry.
12. Let the tarte rest in the skillet for 5- 10 minutes. Then, place a serving plate on top of skillet, and using oven mitts, flip the skillet to turn out the tarte. If any apples slide around, move them back into place.
13. Serve with whipped cream or brown sugar-sweetened sour cream.