Recipe - Lightly spiced apple tarte tatin with fresh rosemary ice cream

Lightly spiced apple tarte tatin with fresh rosemary ice creamServes 6

INGREDIENTS
FOR THE ICE CREAM
500ml full fat milk
250ml double cream
7 medium egg yolks
160g caster sugar
4 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed, plus six small sprigs for decoration See tip 1 FOR THE TARTE TATIN
100g unsalted butter, well softened
100g caster sugar
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
3 star anise
6 small cox apples, peeled, quartered, cored
375g sheet ready-rolled puff pastry See tip 2
METHOD
To make the ice cream, bring the milk and the cream to the boil. Remove from the heat and add the rosemary leaves. Cover with cling film and set aside to infuse for 20 minutes.
Put the egg yolks in a bowl and add the sugar. Whisk together with an electric whisk until pale and creamy. Add the infused milk through a sieve in two batches, whisking well between each addition.
Put the egg mixture in a clean pan over a gentle heat and stir constantly until it forms a thin custard - the consistency of single cream. Pour through a fine sieve into a pan. Place the pan in a bowl full of iced water, covering the surface with cling film to prevent a skin forming. Leave for 20 minutes. Pour into an ice cream maker and churn until the mixture is almost fully frozen. Transfer to a plastic container, cover and put in the freezer until required. See tip 3
To make the tarte tatin, spread the butter thickly over the base and lightly up the sides of a small (24cm) ovenproof non-stick frying pan. Sprinkle with the sugar. Press the spices into the butter and add the apple pieces - rounded side down. (Make sure the apples are packed as tightly as possible and trim if necessary to ensure they fit snugly.)
Put the pan over a medium-high heat and cook for 10-12 minutes until the sugar dissolves, caramelises in the butter and turns golden brown (the same colour as dairy toffee). Do not stir, but shake the pan occasionally to ensure the sugar caramelises evenly. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6.
Open out the puff pastry onto a board and, using a rolling pin, roll just large enough to cut out a 25cm disc – cut around a dinner plate if you like. Place carefully on top of the apples and use the back of a blunt knife to tuck down the sides. Prick all over with a fork.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown. Very carefully remove from the oven and leave to one side for 5 minutes. See tip 4 Just before serving, reheat the base of the pan for a few seconds on the hob and then turn out onto a large plate. When the tarte drops onto the plate, remove the pan – you may need to use a knife to loosen the sides. Serve in wedges with scoops of the ice cream, decorated with fresh rosemary sprigs. Serve immediately. See tip 5
Recipe tips
Use a split vanilla pod or some freshly grated lemon zest instead of the rosemary if you prefer.
Ready rolled puff pastry is available in most large supermarkets.
You may need to let the ice cream stand at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.
Remember, when the frying pan comes out of the oven it will be very hot, so use a thick, dry tea towel or oven-cloth when you handle it.
You can also make the tarte tatin in six small copper pans instead of one frying pan. Use 30g butter and 30g sugar, plus 1 star anise and half a cinnamon stick for each small pan. Use one large cox apple (quartered) for each tarte. Cut the pastry into small rounds and place on top of the apples before putting the pans on the hob. Follow roughly the same method as above, cooking initially on a hot plate or flat side of a griddle pan until the butter and sugar mixture is caramelised. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the pastry is golden. (Please note, the pans and caramel will be extremely hot, so handle very carefully.)