Apple, Pear, and Quince Tarte Tatin

This dessert is so easy that once you’ve tried the recipe, you’ll be using it to make your own caramel sauce in no time. Just watch carefully so the sugar doesn’t burn. Quinces from Australia will be available beginning in late February. Leave them out if you can’t find them now.

1/4 lb (100 g) butter
4 small apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1/2 quince, peeled, cored, and sliced (optional)
2 pears, peeled, cored, and sliced
2/3 cup (150 mL) sugar
1 cinnamon stick
5 cloves
1 Tbsp (15 mL) sultana raisins
1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla extract
4 disks prepared puff pastry
Ice cream or whipped cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). In small fry pan, melt 2 Tbsp (30 mL) of the butter and add all fruit, cinnamon, vanilla, and cloves. Sauté 8 minutes.

In separate cast-iron skillet, melt remaining butter over medium heat. When it begins to bubble, add sugar and turn heat to low. Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to medium and cook until sugar begins to darken, but not boil (about 10 to 12 minutes). Keep an eye on the stove whenever sugar is cooking. Do not walk away.

Pour caramel into bottom of 4 individual baking dishes, place fruit on top, and cover each with a puff pastry disk. Bake 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve with ice cream or whipped cream flavoured with vanilla. Serves 4.

source: "This February, Go West", alive #380, 2006