Ingredients
- 1 sheet all-butter puff pastry, 250 g
- 6 firm apples, peeled, cored, and halved
- 150 ml Québec maple syrup
- 60 g unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Method
- Heat the oven to 165 °C and place a 24 cm ovenproof skillet over medium heat.
- Simmer maple syrup, butter, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt for 3–4 minutes.
- Arrange apples tightly in the syrup and cook 8 minutes, cut side down.
- Cover with puff pastry, tuck in the edges, and bake 35–40 minutes.
- Rest 5 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate and serve warm.
Conversion and rationale
Original sweetener (classic version): 150 g granulated sugar in the caramel
Conversion used: Replace 150 g sugar with 150 ml maple syrup; omit the usual added water because the syrup is already liquid. Bake at 165 °C instead of 180 °C.
Why Quebec maple syrup: Maple makes the apple caramel darker and more fragrant while remaining faithful to the skillet-to-oven method. Its acidity-free sweetness lets the tart retain the traditional buttery character.
General rule: 1 cup (250 ml) sugar ≈ 3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup; reduce liquids by 45–60 ml per cup of syrup and lower oven by 15 °C. Substitution calculator →