This is the only picture I could take as it did not turn out of the pan.

Inspired by the Great British Bake Off, I made my first Tarte Tatin today. My first caramel did not spread so easily, and Mary Berry is right, you can’t make a proper caramel in a nonstick pan. So in my infinite wisdom, I made another batch of caramel right there in the same pan with practically no regard for the potential recrystallization of the sugar. What I didn’t take into account was that even though it didn’t seem like a lot, I effectively doubled the amount of sugar and water to the recipe, thereby cooking the apples practically into stew. It is, without a doubt, absolutely delicious, but it’s not quite the Tarte Tatin I was hoping for. Don’t tell my mother, but the recipe I butchered was Jacques Pepin‘s. My mom loves Jacques Pepin. She used to take cooking lessons from him every year or so when I was much younger. I think she loved bugging us by always ogling him and hearing us say, “oh Mom, gross. He’s like a hairy gorilla with gorilla arms”, because have you seen his arms? Seriously though, mad respect for Jacques Pepin, and I will never question you again. I thought the crust wasn’t going to be thick enough, because I had in mind an American style Tatin that might have a thick biscuity bread, and what you have here is no doubt the real thing. A little simpler than we imagine, the French are famous for making food simple, and extraordinary, and simply extraordinary.