Ingredients

• 335g/11¾oz plain flour
• 65g/2¼oz unsalted butter
• chilled
• 10g/¼oz salt
• 10g/¼oz white wine vinegar
• cold
• 250g/9oz butter
• chilled
• 200g/7oz golden caster sugar
• 2 tsp dried lavender flowers (available in the spice section of large supermarkets)
• 8 apples (preferably Russet or Braeburn)
• peeled and cored
• 1 lemon
• juice only
• 50g/1¾oz unsalted butter
• pinch salt
• clotted cream
• to serve

Directions

• To make the pastry
• rub the 65g/2¼oz butter into the flour and salt with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. In a separate bowl lightly mix the vinegar with 150g/5½oz water then add this to the dry mix and combine to make a dough. Transfer to the freezer for 10 minutes.
• While the dough is chilling in the freezer
• flatten the remaining 250g/9oz butter by placing it between two sheets of greaseproof paper and using a rolling pin to squash it into a square shape less than 1cm/½in thick.
• Roll out the chilled pastry dough to form a rectangle twice the size of the flattened butter square. Fold the pastry over the butter
• then turn it 90 degrees and roll it out until it has doubled in length. Fold both ends into the middle
• then fold once more (to ‘close the book’). Transfer to the fridge for 20 minutes.
• For the topping
• mix the lavender with the caster sugar to infuse. Take four of the apples
• slice them into wedges and set aside. Cut the remaining apples into halves and place them on a cooling rack. Transfer to the fridge to oxidise slightly.
• For the pastry
• repeat the rolling and folding process another three times and return to the fridge.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• For the topping
• add the lavender sugar
• 20g/¾oz water and lemon juice to a heavy oven-proof frying pan and heat until the sugar has dissolved and a light caramel has formed. Remove from heat
• add the butter and salt and swirl the pan occasionally until combined (don’t stir as this can make the caramel crystalise).
• Place the halved apples in the centre of the pan
• cut side down. Arrange the apples wedges around the halves and return the pan to a low heat for five minutes
• then set aside to cool slightly.
• For the pastry
• repeat the rolling and folding process one more time
• then carefully roll it out to fit the pan. Place the pastry on top of the pan
• trim any excess - leaving a small overhang to tuck down the inside of the pan.
• Bake for 30 minutes
• or until the pastry is golden and crisp. Remove the tarte tatin from the oven and turn out onto a plate (take care with this as the caramel will still be very hot) and allow to cool for five minutes before serving with a spoonful of clotted cream.