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I've got 4 people coming over to dinner later and have rather ambitiously decided to make tarte tatin. I am going to use this recipe, but have never made it before and wanted to know if anyone had any advice before I start.

This could all go horribly wrong as I am also suffering from (all day) morning sickness. But I've bought the stuff now and am going to give it a crack. Any tips?

Just to add, I obviously don't have a tarte tatin pan, and the recipe calls for making the caramel in the pan then putting the apples in etc. Should I:

a) Use a cake tin, but make the caramel in a sauce pan and pour it in
B) Use casserole dish that can be cooked on the hob?

ooh i've just added that recipe to my favs
been meaning to make tarte tatin again for ages
have you got an ovenproof frying pan?
then you could caramelise your apples in that before placing your pastry on top

Go for (a).

My mum used to make Tarte Tatin. Mmmmmmmmm....

Her recipe called for the apples to be cooked on the hob for a while after they had been packed into the caramel, but she found it very difficult to turn out. She ended up modifiyng the recipe and preparing the caramel first, pouring it into a springform caketin, and continuing as in your recipe.

You can either butter the sides of the cake tin, or line it with baking parchment. Parchment makes it easier to remove the tart, but will prevent the outer edges caramelising as much, so they will be slightly paler than they would otherwise be.

Either way, if you sue a springform tin, be sure to place it onto another baking tray, otherwise you may to clean up a puddle of caramel on the oven floor. It comes off easily, with just plenty of water, but it is a mucky job.

No, only got casserole dishes that are both oven proof and flame proof.

BTW, I don't know hy he says it's so difficult. I think it's almost a never-fail pudding. As long as you take your time, ensure the caramel reaches the right temperature before adding the apples, and ensure that the apples are cooked through, it really does not go wrong!

PrettyCandles suggestion of using cake tin might work if you've not got a suitable frying pan. I used to make this when I worked in a kitchen years ago and the MAIN thing to remember is, after you've made the caramel and are putting the apples in, if one of them tips over DON'T USE YOUR FINGERS TO PICK IT UP! I'm sure I lost fingerprints on several occasions due to burning them in scalding hot caramel. That's my main memory, I'm afraid!! Good luck .

The pic at the bottom of that link looks like a deep cake tin. You got anything that looks like that, Bumper?

I'd cook the caramel then put it and the apples in the bottom of the tin.

<<disclaimer: not a french cookery expert>>

Thanks everyone, I made it, and it was lovely, though a bit of a faff as I used a cake tin with a removable bottom and though I lined it obviously wasn't properly as all the caramal dripped through. Fortunately I had a tray underneath which caught it and I just kept basting it. Was yummy, though how the hell do you clean caramel off pans?!

Just soak them in water for a few hours. Caramel seems a disaster, but it's mostly sugar so it disolves easily in water.

Glad it went well! Sooo satisfying to make something delicious and pleasing .

Knottylocks, The picture at the bottom of that link is not a deep cake pan (although I have used it as a sandwich pan before). It is a heavy gauge which would actually be suitable for a frying pan. It needs to be that thick to cope with going on the hob.

I caramelise the butter/sugar mix with the apples already arranged in the pan. Braeburn and Coxs are very good, as are Granny Smiths. Russetts are generally too sweet.

Knottylocks, The picture at the bottom of Bumperlicious's link is not a deep cake pan (although I have used it as a sandwich pan before). It is a heavy gauge which would actually be suitable for a frying pan. It needs to be that thick to cope with going on the hob.

I caramelise the butter/sugar mix with the apples already arranged in the pan. Braeburn and Coxs are very good, as are Granny Smiths. Russetts are generally too sweet.

I do one with slices of apples and sweet shortcrust pastry - is astonishingly easy

put sugar and water in pan, boil till brown

cut up apples into slices - keep neatest half circle slices to one side

take pie dish/shallow casserole.

pour in caramel and roll around to cover

put neat slices in nice spiral pattern.

chuck the rest on top

chuck rolled out pastry (shop bought) on top. Cut roughly to size

Bake

turn upside down over sink quickly but carefully when cooked (see yr recipe)

the neat half moon slices will be on top and they will call you 'Patisterie' Val for ever more.

Agree with you silverwood. I didn't say it was one, only it looked like one and suggested doing the caramel in a pan rather than in it. Bumper didn't have a pan or tartin dish so I was trying to come up with another way of doing it.

Sorry Knottylocks, I misunderstood you.

No problem at all. Sometimes I'm as clear as mud.

I do banana tarte tatin - 'tis delicious and a great way to use up soft bananas

Banana tarte tatin...

I'm dribbling.

With some rum cream....

<<slather>>

pear tarte tatin is also yum

Banana Tarte Tatin

Serves 6 - or 1 hungry MNetter

Prep time 10 minutes

Cooking time 50 minutes plus
5 minutes standing

INGREDIENTS
* 175g caster sugar
* 50g unsalted butter
* about 7 medium-sized bananas, peeled and halved lengthways
* 1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
* plain flour for dusting
* 1 x 375g pack ready-rolled puff pastry

METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/425F/gas 7. To make the caramel in a saucepan, put the sugar and butter in a small, heavy-based ovenproof frying pan on a low heat and leave until the butter has melted. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved, then raise the heat to medium and cook, tilting the pan occasionally, until the mixture becomes a rich, golden caramel. Pour immediately into a 20.5cm-diameter, shallow ovenproof dish, being careful not to let the hot caramel splash. Arrange the banana halves on top and sprinkle with the rosemary. Put to one side.
2. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the pastry and cut a circle about 4cm larger in diameter than the dish. Lay the pastry on top of the bananas and carefully tuck the edges down the side of the dish, gently pushing the bananas together as you do so. Place in the oven and cook for 40 minutes until the pastry is golden.
3. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the dish and invert a serving plate on top of the dish. Turn the dish and plate over and lift the dish off the tarte tatin. Serve immediately with lashings of vanilla ice cream.

Recipe is in "Home Made" by Tana Ramsay

I've never put the Rosemary in as I always forget and my bananas tend to be chunks or slices but it still tastes divine

Oh Snitch, you minx. I'm at home today. The banana bunch just winked at me.

Mmmmm....

Sounds like a grown-up Banofee Pie.

Save me a slice