Kitchen Cadets: Pineapple tarte tatin
Pineapples are still in season and are sweeter and juicier than at any other time of year. This dish could not get much sweeter, which makes it a teenage delight. However, it's also a great way to introduce multi-tasking, with the frying, simmering and baking required for this dish. Ages 13 to 15 This recipe introduces the tricky process of cooking caramel. Children need to be very careful of the potential dangers here but, at this age, they should be ready to learn this useful culinary technique.
Ingredients
1 pineapple, peeled
80g unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
100ml water
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
250g puff pastry, defrosted
1 tbsp milk
1 egg
1 tbsp dried coconut, shaved or grated, to serve
Method
Preheat oven to 200C. Cut pineapple across in one-centimetre thick slices, then cut each round in half. Over a medium heat, fry pineapple slices in an oven-proof frying pan with 20 grams of butter, turning once and cooking until golden brown, three minutes each side. Remove from pan and set aside.
Meanwhile, in same pan, heat sugar and water over a medium heat and, without stirring, bring to a soft boil until liquid starts to turn light brown, then add remaining butter and stir, simmering gently for five minutes. Remove from heat, stir in spices and arrange the pineapple in the caramel.
Roll out puff pastry to the thickness of a $1 coin, then cut to the same size as the pan. Lay the pastry over the pineapple and caramel and tuck the sides around the pineapple mixture on the inside of the pan.
Mix the milk and egg together and use to brush the pastry, then bake tart in oven for 20 minutes, until golden on top. Allow to cool. To turn out, over the sink, place a plate over the frying pan and, using an oven cloth or glove, put your hand on top. Being careful not to let the caramel drip on your arm, turn the tart over on to the plate.
Serve scattered with coconut and yoghurt or ice-cream.
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