Quince Tarte Tatin

Instructions

• WHIRL flour with 1/2 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp salt in a food processor. Add 1/2 cup butter and pulse until mixture looks crumbly. Add ice water in a slow, steady stream through the spout until dough comes together. Divide into 2 portions. Form into 4-in. discs and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 45 min.

• COMBINE quinces with 1/2 cup sugar, orange peel and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Cover with water. Boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, until quinces are tender, about 15 min. Discard orange peel. Strain and reserve quince slices.

• PREHEAT oven to 425F. Set aside 2 9-in. pie plates.

• COMBINE 1 cup sugar with water, lemon juice and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium saucepan and set over high. Boil, swirling pan occasionally, until sugar dissolves and mixture turns light brown, about 8 min. Immediately pour caramel into both pie plates and tilt plates to coat the bottoms. Scatter 1/4 cup grated butter evenly over caramel. Arrange overlapping quince slices on both plates.

• ROLL out pastry discs until both are about 9 in. wide. Place each pastry round over filling and tuck edges around fruit (not over rim of pie plate).

• BAKE in centre of oven until tops of pastry are dark golden and caramel is bubbly around edges, about 20 min. Transfer to a rack and let stand just until the bubbling stops, about 2 min. To remove tarts from pie plates, using oven mitts, hold a serving plate over a pie plate and invert. Gently shake pie plate to release tart. Spoon any extra caramel overtop. Cut each tart into 4 wedges. Serve with crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream, if desired.