Strawberry Tarte Tatin
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott/Not Quite Nigella
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
- 500g/1pound fresh strawberries, washed
- 100g/3.5ozs. vanilla sugar (or use caster/superfine sugar and add vanilla after you add the butter)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons butter, cubed
- 2 sheets puff pastry
- Cream or ice cream to serve
Step 1 - Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Line a springform tin with baking parchment on the base (I use a BBQ liner so that it is reusable. Remove the calyx from the strawberries.
Step 2 - Place the sugar and water in a heavy bottomed saucepan and heat on medium to high heat. Do not stir but allow the sugar to melt and caramelise - you can tip the pan gently from side to side to help the caramel develop. When it is ready, pour it into the prepared tin. Top with the strawberries and cubes of butter (I used the larger ones around the circumference and the smaller ones in the centre) and then top with the pastry folding over any corners. If you have time, you can pop this into the fridge for 30 minutes.
Step 3 - Place this on another tray (just in case it leaks as the strawberries release a lot of liquid) and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden. There will be a lot of strawberry juice so allow most of it to drain off by unclipping the side collar of the tin. While still hot, tip the tarte tatin upside down onto the serving plate - a couple of strawberries might fall off (that always happens) and just place them back on top. Serve with vanilla cream or ice cream.