There’s a famous restaurant in Los Angeles called The Ivy, known for their iconic Tarte Tatin, which I always thought was incredibly delicate and difficult to make. I decided to recreate it and I couldn’t believe how easy it was. It turned out absolutely spectacular. Tarte Tatin — 10-Inch Skillet INGREDIENTS • 3 lb (1.35 kg) large Pink Lady apples, about 7–9 large apples, after peeling/coring • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, divided • 7 tbsp (100 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces • 1–2 tsp vanilla paste • 1 sheet all-butter puff pastry, thawed • ¼ tsp fine sea salt, optional DIRECTIONS 1. Prepare the pastry. Roll out the puff pastry and cut it into a 10-inch circle to fit the skillet. Prick it all over with a fork and refrigerate while you prepare the apples. 2. Prepare the apples. Peel, core, and quarter the Pink Lady apples. Keep the quarters large and intact. 3. Make the caramel. Add ½ cup of the sugar to a dry 10-inch stainless-steel skillet over medium heat. Stir until the sugar begins to melt and caramelize. Add the remaining ½ cup sugar and continue stirring until all the sugar dissolves and the caramel turns amber, about 3–5 minutes. 4. Add the butter & vanilla. Whisk in the butter and vanilla paste until incorporated. Continue whisking until the caramel is bubbling, thickens slightly, and turns a butterscotch color, about 3 minutes. 5. Add the apples. Add the apples and gently turn them in the caramel until thoroughly coated. Cook for about 5 minutes, turning them gently so they become beautifully coated. Then reduce the heat to low and let them simmer for another 5 minutes, until the caramel is bubbly and the apples are coated. This extra simmering step is optional, but I like doing it because I think it helps infuse the caramel into the apples. 6. Pack the apples. Turn off the heat and arrange the apples very tightly, rounded side down, around the outside and toward the center. Add a second layer if needed, fitting the pieces into the gaps and gently pressing everything down. Spoon any remaining caramel over the apples. 7. Add the puff pastry. Lay the 10-inch puff pastry circle over the apples and gently tuck the edges down around the fruit. Don’t throw away the pastry scraps. Stretch the leftover pieces and add them around the perimeter where the pastry meets the skillet. Using a rubber spatula, gently tuck the pastry down along the sides of the pan to create a little extra side crust. Cut a few small vents in the pastry. 8. Bake. Place the skillet on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any bubbling caramel. Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 40 minutes, until the puff pastry is deeply golden and crisp and the caramel is bubbling around the edges. 9. Cool. Let the Tarte Tatin cool for 1 hour before inverting. 10. Invert. Place a large serving platter over the skillet. Carefully but quickly invert the tart onto the platter and lift away the skillet. If any apples remain behind, simply place them back on the tart. Serve warm or slightly warm with crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream. #theivy #applepie #tatin #easydessert #dessert