Peach & Pear Tarte Tatin

Peach & Pear Tarte Tatin

Ingredients:
1 stick butter

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 Tablespoons cold water

1 pinch salt

1 2/3 cups plain AP flour, sifted

Caramel Fruit  Filling:

½ stick butter

¾ cup sugar

5 Peaches & 5 Pears

2 tablespoons sugar, for sprinkling

Directions:
To make the pastry, let the butter soften to room temperature and put it into bowl and mix before adding the egg followed by the water.  Mix for a few seconds and then add the salt and the flour, keeping 2 tablespoons aside to add later in case the dough is too sticky.  Work fast because the gluten in the flour makes the dough go elastic.

Stop mixing before the dough turns into a ball.  Flatten the pastry and shape a circle about 6 inches wide.  Flatten the pastry out, wrap in plastic wrap and leave in the refrigerator/ice box for 1 hour minimum to 24 hours.  This lets the gluten relax and when you roll out the pastry it stays flat.

Caramel Fruit  Filling:  Cut the butter into little bits and scatter on a 10 inch cast iron pie pan.  Shake the sugar over it and add 2 tablespoons of water to keep it from crystallizing.  Caramelize the sugar by placing the pan over 10 coals.  Meanwhile, peel the fruit, and slice thin.  Once the butter and sugar have caramelized take the pan off the heat.  Place the pieces of fruit on top of the caramel in the baking pan, taking care to fill the gaps with more pieces so they stick together in a solid mass. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar over the fruit.  Put the dish back over the coals until the caramel starts bubbling up through the fruit.  Preheat the 12, 14 or 15 inch Dutch oven with 25 coals on top and 20 on bottom to 375 – 400 degrees.  While the Dutch oven is heating roll the pastry out and place over the fruit folding it in at the edges.  Make 3 or 4 holes with a knife and 1 in the middle to let steam out when baking. Place baking pan into preheated Dutch oven with the coals that are already there.   Bake for 20 minutes or until top is slightly browned, remove baking pan from Dutch oven and then let it rest for 20 minutes.  It is important that you do this otherwise the fruit will fall apart when you turn it over.  Take a Dutch oven lid and put it over the baking pan turn it over.  Slowly remove the baking pan you are ready to serve it up.