Individual Upside-Down Apple Tarts

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Preheat over to 450°F.9

   Step 2

   In a dry heavy saucepan (about 1-quart capacity) cook sugar over moderate heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. Continue cooking sugar, stirring with a fork until it is melted and then swirling pan, until it is a deep-golden caramel. Pour caramel into four 6-ounce ramekins (3 1/4 to 3 1/2 inches in diameter).

   Step 3

   Peel and cut 1 apple into 5 wedges and core wedges. Put wedges back together to re-form apple shape and stand upright, stem end down, in a ramekin (wedges will protrude over rim). Repeat procedure with remaining apples.

   Step 4

   Cut butter into 4 pieces. Put 1 gingersnap, broken into 4 pieces, in center of each re-formed apple and top with 1 piece of butter. Arrange ramekins in a shallow baking pan and bake apples in middle of oven 45 minutes.

   Step 5

   While apples are baking, halve puff-pastry sheet crosswise and then lengthwise to make 4 nearly square pieces and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap. Remove baking sheet with ramekins from oven and drape a piece of puff pastry over each apple (edges of pastry will extend beyond rims). Return pan to oven and reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake tarts 20 to 25 minutes, or until pastry is puffed and golden brown.

   Step 6

   Remove tarts from oven. Invert heatproof dessert plates over ramekins and invert tarts carefully onto them.

2. Step 7

   Serve tarts warm with whipped cream or ice cream.