Apple and Pear Tarte Tatin

Ingredients:

225g sweet shortcrust pastry
175g butter
175g caster sugar
2 apples, cored and quartered
2 pears, cored and quartered
pinch of ground cinnamon

Method:

In a steel or cast iron frying pan (or any frying pan suitable for the oven) hat together the butter and sugar over medium heat until the mixture begins to caramelize then remove the pan from the heat.

Place the apple and pear quarters skin-side down in the pan then return the pan to the heat. Return to a simmer and continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, roll out the shortcrust pastry on a lightly-floured work surface until it's slightly larger than the frying pan. Place the pastry over the fruit, tucking any overhanging edges into the pan.

Place in an oven pre-heated to 200°C and bake for 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven at this point and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Now place a plate that's slightly larger than the frying pan over the top of the tarte tatin and quickly invert so that the tarte tatin falls out onto the plate with the pie crust forming a base.

Serve warm with cream, cr�E8;me fraîche or home-made ice cream.