1Thaw your puff pastry. If you want to make your own at home, it is actually really easy. I'll put a link in the description box for my puff pastry video.
2Peel and slice 4 medium-sized apples. Use Honeycrisp apples because they maintain their shape after baking and taste delicious, but many other kinds will work well.
3Quarter peeled apples and remove the core and any leftover skin.
4In a 9-inch cast iron pan, add two thirds of a cup of granulated sugar (133g). Add it in an even layer.
5Sprinkle in about a third of a cup of water (6 tablespoons). It's nice if you can get all the sugar wet.
6Place the pan over medium heat and stir occasionally until it starts to bubble. Once it starts bubbling, leave it alone and avoid temptation.
7Keep a close eye on your caramel. You want it to be a light golden color before you add the butter in. If it gets too dark, once you keep cooking it with the apples and everything else, it's going to be bitter and not where you want your Tarte Tatin to be.
8Add 4 tbsp of salted butter. Stir it up and be careful because it will bubble up and get wild. Keep an eye on it; you may need to reduce the temperature in addition to stirring.
9Once the butter is incorporated, add the apples in and place them carefully with no splashing. Continue to move them around to coat with the caramel and cook through. Cook apples in the caramel for about 15 minutes. Every few minutes, give them a turn; you want them to cook evenly on the outside.
10Roll out your puff pastry to 10 inches. You don't want to roll it too thin, or it won't puff up as much as you'd like.
11Place a 10-inch circle of puff pastry on top of the apples. Tuck the edges in; you can use a knife or spatula for that, not your fingers.
12Transfer your pan onto a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 400°F (204°C) for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is golden and puffed up.
Ingredients
1 sheet puff pastry
2 3 cup Granulated Sugar
6 Tbsp Water
4 Tbsp Salted Butter
4 firm baking apples
Equipment
rolling pin9-inch cast iron panparing knifewooden spoonpastry brush