Tarte Tatin

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1. 1Step 1: Cut the apples into quarters, peel them, and remove the cores.
2. 2Step 2: In a large, high-sided skillet, place 40 g of the butter and 50 g of the sugar, both taken from the amounts listed above, and set it over high heat.
3. 3Step 3: Cook the apples, stirring with a wooden spoon or, better still, shaking the pan to toss them. The heat is high, so keep an eye on things, but there's no real risk of burning: the water the apples release keeps the caramel from scorching. Even so, stay right there! The apples should be tender and lightly caramelized. Take the pan off the heat and let them cool, still in the skillet.
4. 4Step 4: Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). In a saucepan, place 60 g of sugar and 40 g of butter (salted butter, in this case) with a splash of water, over medium heat.
5. 5Step 5: Let it cook.
6. 6Step 6: Stir with a wooden spoon, with no need to brush down the sides of the pan with water, because this caramel goes underneath the apples—so there's no risk of it crystallizing.
7. 7Step 7: Cook until the caramel reaches a beautiful amber color.
8. 8Step 8: For the tart, use a 21 cm (8¼-inch) skillet. Pour the caramel into the pan.
9. 9Step 9: Let it cool, then add 10 g of sugar and shake the pan so it clings to the sides.
10. 10Step 10: Once the apples have cooled, or are just warm enough to handle, arrange them in the pan, filling it neatly. They're precooked, so you can stack them two layers deep… or stand them on edge.
11. 11Step 11: Dot the remaining 10 g of butter over the top. Put the prepared pan in the oven—without the pastry—at 200°C (400°F) for 10 minutes.
12. 12Step 12: Meanwhile, roll the puff pastry out thinly on a sheet of parchment paper. Using a plate as a guide, cut out a circle with a knife.
13. 13Step 13: Remove the excess pastry.
14. 14Step 14: Take the pan out of the oven and lay the circle of pastry on top. Tuck the pastry down the inside edge of the pan.
15. 15Step 15: Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20 to 30 minutes—it all depends on how powerful your oven is—until the puff pastry is fully baked.
16. 16Step 16: Take the pan out of the oven and let it cool completely… because if you turn it out right away, disaster is all but guaranteed! Once the tart is cold, set it over the burner (glass-top, gas…) for a few seconds, just to warm the bottom of the pan. Put a serving plate over the pan and flip the whole thing over.