Tarte Tatin

[Bleek]

Has anyone cooked this before?

I've been led to believe that cooking the frying pan in the oven can (and often does) damage it? I was told this by a very experienced cook, yet I fail to see how it can damage a pan which is designed to take serious direct heat on its base?

 

[randomshenans]

Depends on the quality of the pan. A lot of home pans would probably not be able to take the heat through the handles if they are plastic/wood as most chefs pans are metal handles. Wood you will have more chance of doing this though.

 

[Smudge]

I cook with my pan's in the oven all the time. OK They are good quality pans, so milage may vary, but as long as you have pan's with metal handles and use an oven glove, go for it I say

 

[LizardKing]

scrap that

 

[Bleek]

Cheers guys, I might even buy a cheap stainless just to cook it, metal handle of course!

 

[beh]

as long as you have pan's with metal handles and use an oven glove

Although you will inevitably grab the handle bare handed at some point after removing it from the oven, or atleast it always seems to slip my mind.

 

[Glaucus]

only thing it will damage as said is handle and only some handles. If you have metal handle it will not damage it at all. A lot of us cook with pans in the oven.

 

[W!ll]

It'll be fine like said above provided that you have a good quality pan. You can just about cook it in an oven tray if you have one that can take the heat from a hob.

 

[footman]

Solid copper pan, had it for years. makes the best tatin possible.
Well worth the investment.

 

[beh]

Solid copper pan, had it for years. makes the best tatin possible.

While quality cookware might make the task easier, I fail to see how it could make the end result better.

 

[yermum]

Although you will inevitably grab the handle bare handed at some point after removing it from the oven, or atleast it always seems to slip my mind.

This is the absolute truth. Second degree burns here!!!!

I use both a solid pan and an old circular Le Creuset for this dish and they are both great.

Serve it with a good quality crème fraiche instead of cream as the tarte can be quite sweet and this gives a better balance of flavours.

 

[Makhaira]

A decent cast iron frying pan, mid weight, gives excellent results with this. Serving with a strong vanilla ice cream makes a lovely combination of flavours and temperatures.

 

[Jonny69]

Anything over 180 degrees in the oven will usually kill a non-stick pan, according to the small print on almost every pan I've had.

We normally tip the fruit into a baking tin, re-arrange nicely, stick the pastry on top and bake it in that.

 

[footman]

While quality cookware might make the task easier, I fail to see how it could make the end result better.

Then you obviously haven't spent as long as you might have cooking.

 

[beh]

Then you obviously haven't spent as long as you might have cooking.

Please explain how the material used will have any effect on the taste

 

[footman]

Please explain how the material used will have any effect on the taste

In this case, the rapid conduction and maintenance of heat. In general cooking a good example is the requirement to use non-reactive cookware when using acidic ingredients.

 

[beh]

In this case, the rapid conduction and maintenance of heat.

Aye, a good conductor, though it's ability to maintain heat isn't that good. The latter combined with the former is an advantage, makes it easier to control the temperature on the hob (making a hollandaise perhaps).

In general cooking a good example is the requirement to use non-reactive cookware when using acidic ingredients.

Aye, and copper is pretty reactive, quite high maintenance cookware.

But anyway, I was curious how using a copper pan would make a better tasting Tarte Tatin?

 

[Jonny69]

Acidic fruit will definitely react with copper.

 

[Von Smallhausen]

Acidic fruit will definitely react with copper.

You mean it will knock his tit hat off ?

 

[footman]

But anyway, I was curious how using a copper pan would make a better tasting Tarte Tatin?

I think its probably the speed at which the sugar caramelises and infiltrates the apples. I've used copper and other pans for my tatin and to me the tarts made with the copper pan taste richer.