1- 8 oz. puff pastry dough
6 large cooking apples (like Newton, Pippin, and Granny Smith)
4½ tablespoons butter
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons calvados (brandy)
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ cup caramel sauce
Method: Preheat oven to 325oF. Roll out ½ the dough until it is 1 cm thick, and line six individual tart pans.
Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples. Heat 3 tablespoons butter in skillet, sauté apples 3 to 4 minutes until golden. Sprinkle sautéing apple slices with sugar.
Meanwhile, warm calvados in saucepan. Pour warm brandy over apple slices, cover skillet for a few seconds, uncover and ignite.
Fill tart pans with flambéed apple slices. Cut remaining 1-½ tablespoon butter in 6 pieces, lay 1 piece on each tart. Drizzle warm Caramel Sauce over tart fillings to glaze. Roll out remaining puff pastry dough until 1 cm thick. Cut out tops to cover tart shells. Cut design in centered of each top with cookie cutter; place on top of tarts, leaving sides open.
Gently brush dough with beaten egg. Bake in pre-heated oven 30 minutes, until golden brown. Serve with Caramel Ice Cream. Serves 6
Caramel Sauce
1 cup sugar
¾ cup whipping cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
Method: Combine sugar and ½ cup water in heavy saucepan. Cook on medium heat 15 to 20 minutes until sugar turns light golden brown. Don't let sugar burn.
Remove saucepan from heat, and immediately add cream, stirring until smooth. Add butter and let melt in sauce. Stir to combine thoroughly. Serve warm or chilled. If not using at once, cover with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator.
Caramel Ice Cream
8 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
2 cups milk
2 cups whipping cream
1 vanilla bean, split
1 cup caramel sauce
Ice Cream Method: In 3 qt. bowl, whisk egg yolks together with sugar. Set aside. Pour milk and cream into saucepan, and add split vanilla bean. Heat just to boiling point, then remove pan from heat.
Pour a little of the hot milk and cream into egg mixture; stir gently. Gradually add and mix in remaining milk and cream. Return pan to stove, cook over medium to low heat, stirring constantly until mixture coats wooden spoon. Strain into bowl over ice. Stir in Caramel Sauce. Freeze in ice-cream maker, according to directions.