Tart Tatin with Cranberries and Maple Syrup

The first time I had Tart Tatin, was at dinner with Bob and Denis, 20 odd years ago.  Bob, who had just returned from a year long sabbatical in France, made a classic Tart Tatin and I loved it.  Bob told me the story about how Tart Tatin was named after the Tatin sisters, who while caramelizing some apples in a frying pan left them unattended, resulting in overdone apples.  Needing to have a desert to serve for lunch at the family restaurant, they rescued the apples by putting a pastry lid on the frying pan and baked it in the oven. The sisters turned the pan upside down onto a plate, and we now enjoy this classic.  I have taken a few liberties and I am guessing that considering the tart's accidental origin, it is perfectly fine to experiment with the recipe.

Tart Tatin with Maple Syrup and Cranberries

I have a number of maple trees in the country and every year make enough maple syrup for my friends and family.  It also means I can use maple syrup instead of sugar.  Maple syrup is fabulous with apples, and, cranberries add a counter balance to the sweetness of the maple syrup.  I like to use a short crust for the pastry on top, but have been known to use frozen puff pastry in a pinch.

• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1/4 cup of maple syrup
• 1/4 cup of fresh cranberries
• 3 crisp apples, such as cortland or graney smith, peeled, quartered and cored, then each quarter sectioned into thirds
• pastry (see pastry recipe for lemon tart) or use frozen puff pastry

In a cast iron frying pan, melt butter and maple syrup.  Add cranberries and cook until the berries begin to pop.  Arrange the sliced apples and cook on stove top until the apples begin to caramelize.  Cover with pastry, trim and bake in oven at 425F until golden.  Take out of oven, and flip onto plate before cool.  

 Whipped cream or ice cream complete the desert.