Easy Apple Tarte Tatin

Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

4 pounds apples, peeled cored and halved (small Fuji or Gala)

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a wide skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add in the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract and salt and whisk to combine. Add the apples to the caramel mixture and gently stir together, coating the apples in the caramel. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are slightly tender, 5 to 8 minutes depending on the size of your apples. Note: If the mixture begins to get too thick, add some water to loosen it up.
3. Transfer the apples to a 10-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet and arrange them cut-side up, making sure to evenly cover the bottom of the skillet. Drizzle half the caramel sauce over the apples, then return the caramel to the heat and cook until thick and glossy, another 5 minutes. Set aside.
4. Roughly measure and cut the puff pastry sheet to approximately the size of the top of the skillet. Place the puff pastry on top of the apples and gently tuck the sides in ever so slightly. Cut the remaining scraps of puff pastry and evenly spread across the top (this will give the tarte tatin some volume).
5. Bake until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, invert a plate on top and quickly (but carefully) flip onto the plate. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and the remaining caramel sauce.

NO FAIL Buttercrust Pastry Dough / Apple Hand Pie (Empanaditas)

Buttercrust Pastry Dough

Ingredients for about 1 pound pie dough (enough for 1 large pie or 4 turnovers):

2 cups flour (measure carefully, do not pack!)

1/2 cup unsalted butter (4 oz)

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

6 tbsp ice water

Add 1 cup of the flour, butter and short pulse for a minute. Add sugar and salt and ice water … longer pulses. Turn out onto a mat and gently bring to a ball and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Apple Hand Pies

For 4 Apple Hand Pies:

about 1 pound pie dough, divided into 4

egg wash (1 egg beaten with 2 tsp milk)

granulated sugar as needed

For the apple filling:

2 tbsp butter, browned

2 or 3 green apples

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup white sugar

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, or to taste
1 or 2 tsp of water if needed

The Best Tiramisu

The Best Tiramisu

 * 6 egg yolks

* 1 1/4 cups white sugar

* 1 1/4 cups mascarpone cheese

* 1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream

* 2 (3 ounce) packages lady fingers (approx 24 lady fingers total)

* 1/3 cup KahluaTopping extras

* 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder (dust) 

* 1 (1 ounce) square semi sweet chocolate (shaved) 

Procedure

***To start I chill the bowl I will be whipping the cream in***

* Combine egg yolks and sugar in the top of a double boiler. I do this over boiling water.

* Reduce heat to low.

* Cook for about 10 minutes and don't go anywhere! Stir it constantly.

* Remove the mixture from heat and whip in the yolks until its thick.

* Add the mascarpone to the whipped yolks.

* Beat until combined.

* Pull your chilled bowl out of fridge and whip the cream until the stiff peaks are formed.

* Gently fold into yolk mixture and set aside.

* Split the lady fingers in half.

* Line the bottom and sides of your serving bowl with the lady fingers.

* Brush the lady fingers with the kahlua, espresso or very strong coffee.

* Spoon half of the cream filling over the lady fingers.

* Now you are going to layer - using lady fingers, kahlua and filling.

* Keep going till you run out of lady fingers.

* The top layer of filling is finished off with cocoa or chocolate curls. (Or both!)

BIG SUCCESS HINT: Refrigerate several hours or overnight!