Apple And Prune Tart With Vanilla Ice Cream And Cognac Recipes

APPLE AND PRUNE TART WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM AND COGNAC

Steps:

• Blend flour, sugar and salt in processor. Add shortening and butter and blend, using on/off turns, until coarse meal forms. Add 3 tablespoons ice water. Blend, using on/off turns, until moist clumps form, adding more water by 1/2 tablespoonfuls if dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)
• Combine prunes and Cognac in small bowl. Cover; let stand 2 hours, stirring often. Drain prunes, reserving Cognac. Cut prunes in half; set aside. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Fold overhang in and press, forming double-thick sides; refrigerate crust 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix apples, sugar and 2 tablespoons butter in large bowl. Arrange apple wedges, overlapping slightly, in concentric circles in crust. Bake tart until apples are just tender, about 1 hour. Tuck prunes into spaces between apples. Brush fruit with 1 tablespoon butter. Bake tart until apples are very tender and crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes longer. Transfer tart to rack and cool 15 minutes.
• Blend 1 tablespoon reserved Cognac into strained preserves for glaze. Brush glaze over warm tart. Cut tart into wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream, drizzling some of reserved Cognac over ice cream.

FRENCH-STYLE APPLE TART (TARTE TATIN) RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Using a 9-inch (23 cm) flat-sided cake pan as a template, cut a circle out from the puff pastry. Using a fork, poke holes all over to provide ventilation. Set aside.
• Peel and quarter the apples, using a spoon or melon baller to remove the cores.
• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
• In a large saucepan over medium heat, distribute the water and sugar evenly and cook until light amber in color, stirring to help melt any lumps, 5-7 minutes. Add the butter, stirring constantly until the color is a creamy light brown. Add the apples, stirring until they are coated in a thick layer of caramel.
• Cook for about 15-20 minutes, turning the apples constantly so that they bathe in the caramel. Remove from the heat when the caramel has reduced and little remains in the bottom of the pan. Be careful not to burn the caramel, tasting it from time to time to ensure it does not taste bitter.
• Arrange the apple slices in concentric circles on the bottom of the cake pan. Press the apples tightly against each other, then pour the remaining caramel over the top.
• Lay the circle of puff pastry on top. Tuck the puff pastry down the sides of the pan.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and firm. Cool for about 1 hour, then invert onto a plate.
• Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream.
• Enjoy!