#217 Rustic Caramel Pear Tarte Tatin

The Tarte Tatin is a French Style tart and essentially any fruit can be used. In this case I've used the bartlett pears enveloped in caramel and butter and the pastry shell baked over it. When I flip it over, the beautiful golden caramel mixed with the pear juices flow onto the shell and all over the pears. This tart is a mind-blowing dessert and must be eaten with vanilla ice cream before the caramel starts hardening. We love to scrape out the caramel from the pan with a knife to enjoy the fruity flavor. You could swap my Home made Puff Pastry with either phyllo or any store bought pastry  and it would be just as good.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1/4 cup sugar, divided
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 ripe Bartlett pears, cored and sliced lengthwise
Frozen Puff Pastry dough, thawed
Vanilla Ice cream or crème fraîche

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Coat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with 1 1/2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons sugar and 1/4 cup brown sugar into pan.  Cover skillet, and place over medium-low heat for 15 minutes or until sugar mixture is bubbly and caramelized. Arrange pear slices in a circle in pan and cook for 5 minutes without stirring. Add remaining butter dabs around.

3. Place a circular dish of rolled puff pastry over pears, pressing gently and folding and tucking the edges inside the skillet. brush with egg wash and sprinkle sugar over it. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until filling is bubbly and crust is browned. Remove from oven, and let stand for 5 minutes. Place a plate upside-down on top of pan; invert tart onto plate. Cut tart into 6 wedges. Top each wedge with a scoop of ice-cream or creme-fraische.