1tbspCognac or Calvadosoptional, substitute water if needed
1/2vanilla podhalved, optional
1/4cupunsalted butter
7ozpuff pastry
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly butter 12 x 1/2 cup capacity non-stick muffin pan.
Peel the apples, then cut each apple into 4 thick slices. Dip each slice in lemon juice and rub it all over to prevent browning.
Using a round cookie cutter slightly larger than the bottom of one of the muffin molds, cut out apple rounds, then carefully remove the pits and core, making sure not to break each round. Rub a little lemon juice in the cored center of each apple slice. Reserve.
If using, split the vanilla bean lengthwise, then scrape off the seeds. In a medium saucepan, stir the sugar, water, Cognac (or Calvados) as well as the halved vanilla pod and scraped seeds together over medium heat. Let it slowly come to a boil. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture is a light golden color. Keep a close eye on it at all times and swirl the pan around once in a while, or use a silicone spatula to stir the mixture around, so it caramelizes evenly. Be very careful when stirring because caramel burns very badly.
Once your caramel is ready, take it off the heat. Make sure you do so when it had a light golden color, because it’ll keep on cooking a bit due to the residual heat. Stir in the cubes of butter and mix well.
Place a large skillet over medium heat, then pour the caramel into this skillet. Don’t worry if your caramel has hardened a bit, it’ll melt as it’s heated again. Scatter the apple slices in the skillet, making sure they don’t overlap. Cook for 5 minutes without moving the apples, using a spoon to pour some of the caramel over the slices once or twice over the cooking process.
Distribute one apple slice into the base of each muffin mold, then top with the caramel mixture. Discard the vanilla bean.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until 1/8-inch (3-mm) thick. Cut out rounds of the pastry to fit inside the molds (it’s better to cut the pastry slightly larger than the apples, as it will shrink a bit while cooking). Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and lightly golden.
Let stand for 10-15 minutes before carefully lifting each tartlet using a small spatula. Spoon any remaining caramel over the tartlets and serve warm or cool. The tartlets keep surprisingly well, refrigerated for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
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