Steam-Baked Tarte Tatin

Place the sheet of pastry on a work surface. Use a sharp knife to cut into a 12-inch (30m) circle. You don’t need to cut an exact circle; you’re going to tuck all the excess bits in later anyway. Transfer to a sheet pan and refrigerate until ready to use.

Peel the apples and cut them roughly into thirds. Cut out the core and seeds.

Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the base of a heavy 12-inch (30cm) pan. Transfer to the oven and cook until the sugar is melted and turning a dark amber colour at the edges, 7 to 15 minutes. The timing of this step will vary depending on the heaviness of your pan and the moisture content of the sugar. Watch it closely as you want it to be golden, not black. Refer to the photo for guidance.

Remove from the oven and, working quickly, whisk in the butter and salt. It will spit and fizzle. Don’t worry if the caramel starts to harden, as it’ll melt again once it goes back in the oven.

Add the apples to the caramel and give everything a mix. Again, don't worry if the caramel clumps and seizes, it'll soften again in the oven. Transfer to the oven and cook until the caramel is melted and the apples are just beginning to soften, about 8 minutes.

Now that the apples have softened a bit, arrange them to fit in a single layer: Carefully flip each piece of apple cut-side up and then create an overlapping circle around the edge. Fill in the centre with another circle, and then fill in any gaps.

Working quickly, lay the pastry over the top of the warm fruit and tuck the edges down all around. Cut a small vent in the centre of the pastry to release steam, then put the pan back in the oven and cook until the pastry is puffed and golden brown all over, 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove the tarte from the oven and let it sit undisturbed for around 30 minutes. Put a large plate upside down over the top of the pan. Use a folded kitchen towel or oven mitts to make sure you’re holding everything safely, then flip it over and invert the tarte onto the plate. Lift off the pan to reveal your beautiful creation. I like to give the bottom of the pan a sharp tap with a wooden spoon before flipping to encourage all the fruit to come out, but if any bits remain, just lift out with a spatula and place them back on the tarte after you’ve turned it out.

Serve warm or at room temperature, with thick cream or ice cream (optional). Tarte tatin is best eaten within a couple of hours of cooking.