Peach Tarte Tatin

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Pinch salt
• 6 peaches, ripe but firm, quartered or halved into 3-inch pieces
• 1 sheet puff pastry

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Combine the sugar and water in a 4-quart stainless steel pot. Cook over medium heat to dissolve the sugar, stirring gently. When the sugar has fully dissolved, turn up the heat to high and continue cooking to caramelize the sugar; swirl the pot occasionally to ensure even cooking, but don’t stir. This will take about 10 minutes; the sugar should be amber in color when finished. Remove from the heat and very gently stir in the butter, lemon juice, and salt.

Add the peaches and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat. (If your peaches are on the firmer side, they will require a few more minutes of cooking time.) The peaches should be tender but still hold their shape.  

Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the peaches from the caramel and transfer them to a 9-inch pie dish. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the caramel over the fruit.

Cut a 10-inch disk out of the puff pastry sheet. Drape it over the peaches in the pie dish.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully place a plate on top of the tarte, slide your hand under bottom of the pie pan (be sure it’s cool enough to handle, or use a pot holder), and flip over the tarte. The caramel should ooze out and pool around the tarte. Serve with vanilla or honey–lavender ice cream.