Monday, April 26, 2010

Skillet Giveaway and Tarte Tatin!

I mentioned a couple weeks ago that CSN had contacted me, wanting me to do a product review from their site cookware.com and host a giveaway on my blog. Anxious to remake the tarte tatin I loved in the puff pastry unit, I selected a nonstick skillet. If you're impatient and want to get straight to the details of the giveaway, scroll down to the bottom of this post.


The skillet is a nonstick Farberware skillet. It's very lightweight, but felt sturdy when I was using it. And it is certainly nonstick. This tarte has a lot of gooey caramel that usually sticks to the bottom of the pan when it's flipped over (tarte tatin is an apple tart that is baked in a skillet, upside down, and then flipped over), but when I flipped it over this time, there was no caramel left on the bottom. I think it's pretty great so far, and can't wait to use it more. The only drawback to the pan though is that the handle is metal, and it can get really hot when you use it. This is true of almost all skillets, and all the pots and pans we use at FCI, but I felt that I should point it out.

Tarte fresh out of the oven, look at how clean the skillet looks

Ok, time for the recipe. Whether or not you win the skillet, I highly recommend trying this out. It's my perfect dessert - simple, delicious, and apple. Before we go into the details, I have a confession to make...I used store-bought frozen puff pastry. I fully intended making my own, but it's a time consuming process, and time is not in abundance for me lately. If you can make your own, I recommend doing it, but if you don't have time, frozen puff pastry will work just fine.

Shhhhh...don't tell Chef Cynthia

Ingredients:

Pastry dough, enough to cover the pan (I used puff pastry, but you could use a pate sucree or pate brisee)
5 tbsp unsalted butter, cut in pieces

1 1/4 c sugar
5 Golden Delicious apples
1 tbsp vanilla extract


Tarte covered in puff pastry, before going into the oven

Directions:

1. Roll out puff pastry or thaw if you are using store-bought.
2. Peel, halve, and core the apples.
3. Put the apple halves round side down in the pan (crowd them in there together, I only used 4 apples in the 12" pan, but wished I had 1 more).
4. Put the pan on the stovetop over medium heat. When the apples start to brown, add the sugar.
5. Lower the heat and cook until the sugar caramelizes.6. Add the tbsp of vanilla extract over the top of the apples.
7. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool.
8. Cover the apples with the puff pastry, tucking the extra into the pan (do not allow pastry to hang over the edge of the pan).
9. Bake the tart at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is nicely browned and baked through.
10. Remove the tart from the oven and immediately unmold it onto a plate or serving dish. Be very careful - the caramel will be extremely hot. I put the plate over top the pan and then in one rapid motion (wearing oven mitts), flip it over.


Finished product!

Ok, so now the good part, the giveaway! It's very simple to enter - just leave your name and email address in the comments section, and I'll use a random number generator to pick the winner. Tarte tatin has been my favorite dessert featured on my blog, so feel free to let me know what yours has been in the comments. You have until this Friday at 3:00 pm EST. One entry per person! Good luck!

30 comments:

liz said...

jar cupcakes. they're always a hit.

Irene said...

Hi Tara it's Irene from class. Tarte Tatin is awesome and it's my favorite way to eat apples. When I took mine home... it was devoured within minutes. My favorite dough for this is also with puff pastry. yummm....

alimac33 said...

This recipe sounds delicious. And I'd LOVE to win that pan!

vica said...

I wish I were there to taste your Tarte Tatin!! Looks so yummy =)

throuthehaze said...

That looks so yummy!
throuthehaze at gmail dot com

Jaclyn said...

Hi Tara!
I devoured that tarte tatin from class all by myself. NO SHARING. I'd love to try the recipe in the skillet you're giving away!

Great posting. Made my mouth water
Jaclyn

CGreenes said...

Yyyuum! I'm hoping my friend makes something like this for me...

Cody - codygreenes@gmail.com

Mary said...

Woo hoo! I need me a non-stick skillet!

Email: marylynnlondon at gmail dot com

Love your blog by the way. I check it out all the time!

See you Tuesday!
Mary

jdub said...

Papa needs a new skillet -

udjeremyw@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Tara..you have such a talent. Your desserts, breads, etc. all look so amazing. I just love to read your blog. The Tarte Tatin looks wonderful and is one of my favorite desserts. Thanks for the recipe. Certainly can use a new skillet also.

dondi922@aol.com

Anonymous said...

Tara,

Vica sent me this link. This blog is interestng and creative and makes me laugh and very hungry all at the same time :). I had no idea they used stencils to make baked pattern cakes...I'm learning so much from this blog. This is spectacular and I hope you keep doing this, you have a lot of talent. I hope all is well with you.

Ruju
rujster518@yahoo.com

Jenn said...

Hi Tara, you're not kidding about the delicious Tatin...yum! I love seeing all your posts (been a little busy lately so I just now caught up...your silver fondant cake with the birch trees is GORGEOUS!!!). If I'm the lucky non-stick winner I promise I will NOT need to slam the Tatin over with as much force as I did in class. See you tomorrow!

Rusthawk said...

Daughter needs a new skillet. :)

Bookmarked your blog ... awesome stuff!

Anonymous said...

Derrick - derrick.torregrosa@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

I like the pink cookies with the raspberry filling :)

Debbie

Bonnie said...

I think I might need that pan if I'm to try the recipe!

Anonymous said...

I hope I win!!!!!!

mglick126@hotmail.com

Cooking Foodie said...

Yay... u finally got the skillet. yarte tatin looks great...
my favorite dessert though has to be chocolate cake - in any form. cupcake, layer cake, sheet cake...

Anonymous said...

I want a skillet so that I can make my favorite popcorn chicken recipe!!!

coreyhansen2@gmail.com

Hope I win!!

Molly Marzalek-Kelly said...

Just caught up on some blog reading at work and I love it! Despite the fact that my name never made mention (I'm slowly getting over it), I'm sharing the link with my family. If you start getting lots of comments, I can pretty much guarantee it's my mother...

Yay for the giveaway - I've been feeling pretty lucky lately!!

molly.marzalekkelly@gmail.com

See you Thursday!

Jonnie (JB) said...

I just had to throw out one of my skillets the other day, so I would love to win this one.

Jonnie
dftrew(at)gmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

Fancy running into you this morning! Looks delicious :)

Anonymous said...

pick me! pick me! stacie brustman (sound familiar?) sbrustman@comcast.net

btw, you i am definitely going to try this recipe after i win!!! :) but, i will also use frozen puff pastry... :)

Fighter said...

Blueberry crumble cake! My favorite!

bettybcho@gmail.com

JShappy said...

Can you send me your Tarte Tatin since i can't bake...

Sarah Ramirez said...

This looks really good. Maybe I would actually cook if I got a pan...

Cait said...

I work to save the lives of malnourished children. I need this pan!

Unknown said...

Tarte Awaesome - sounds ground - love the pan

Todd said...

screw the pan, I want a date with the chef

Anonymous said...

i'm with todd!!! you would have lovely children. Not athletic but smart!

 
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