PEAR TARTE TATIN

Serves: 6 to 8

1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar

3 tbsp (45 mL) unsalted butter

2 tsp (10 mL) fresh lemon juice

4 just-ripe but firm Anjou or Barlett pears

All-purpose flour for rolling out the pastry

1 sheet (1/2 of a package) puff pastry, either refrigerated and cool, or, if frozen, thawed according to package directions but still slightly chilled

Vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C).

2. In a 10-in (25-cm) heavy ovenproof skillet, preferably cast iron, stir together the sugar with 2 tbsp (30 mL) of water.

3. Cook over medium heat, without stirring, until the mixture starts to turn a golden colour, about 6 minutes.

4. Stir in the butter and continue stirring occasionally until the mixture is a rich golden colour, but not too dark. Stir in the lemon juice.

5. While the sugar mixture is cooking, slice the pears in half, then into quarters, remove the cores with a paring knife, and cut the halves lengthwise into two thick slices each (so, eight slices total per pear).

6. When the sugar mixture is golden, arrange the pear slices in concentric circles in the pan. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the pears are slightly tender, about 3 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, lightly flour a clean work surface.

8. Roll out the puff pastry to a square slightly larger than the pan’s diameter.

9. Trim the pastry into a circle just barely larger than the circumference of the pan, and prick the puff pastry in several places with a fork.

10. Place the pastry over the pears and carefully tuck the edges around the tops of the pears (you may want to use a rubber spatula, as the pan will be hot).

11. Bake for about 25 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and puffed.

12. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the skillet, place a serving plate (larger than the pan) on top of it, and carefully invert the tarte Tatin onto the plate.

13. If any pears cling to the pan, remove them and place them back in their rightful spots.

14. Let cool a bit more, and then serve warm, with ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.