This upside down guava tart is like a tropical flavour burst in your mouth. I made this a while ago because my entire family loves guava in all its variations and what a surprise it was. Tarte Tatin is a French dish that normally utilises fruits like apples and pears, caramelised in sugar with a crisp, flaky pastry base. Soft, juicy fruits like guavas are usually not used because of all its soft flesh that create excess liquid, but believe me, this is heaven on your taste buds. It is a reminder that sometimes we have to go against the traditional to discover the truly sublime!
5 - 6 fresh ripe guavas, peeled and halved
80g butter
150g sugar
300g puff pastry
Preheat your oven to 190℃.
Select the pan you are going to use to bake this tart. I make mine in a steel frying pan but any pan will do as long as it can go into the oven. No plastic handles!!
Now, roll the dough so that you can cut a piece of pastry the size of the pan PLUS another 1.5cm all around. In other words, if you have a pan that is 20cm in diameter you will have a pastry circle that is 23cm in diameter. Prick the pastry with the tines of a fork and place in the fridge until needed.
Spread/rub the butter in a thick layer over the bottom and sides of the pan. Sprinkle the sugar on the base in a thick, even layer.
Put the pan on a medium heat.
Pack the guava halves cut-side down onto the sugar. You have to watch the sugar and fruit closely: you want the sugar to melt and develop a good caramel colour without burning. Shake the pan lightly from time to time.
Once the sugar has reached a deep, golden colour, take the pan from the heat.
Remove the pastry from the fridge and place it on top of the guavas, tucking down the sides of the pastry.
Place the tart in the oven and bake for 25 - 30 minutes until the pastry is cooked and has developed a honey colour.
Remove the pan from the oven and give it a 5 minute rest. This is important: if you don't wait for the caramel to settle it will run all over the place when you invert the tart and conversely, if you leave the tart standing for too long it will become sticky and you will have a hard time removing it from the pan.
Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen any caramel and place your serving plate on top of the pan, covering the tart. Invert in one quick flick.
Serve with cream or ice cream.
Comments