Classic Apple Tarte Tatin

Heat the oven. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400°F.

Prep the apples. Peel, halve, and core the apples. Toss with lemon juice to keep them from browning. Set aside.

Quick note: Depending on apple size, you may not use every last half. The goal is tight packing, not hitting an exact number.

Start the caramel base. Set a 10-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and let it melt. Add sugar and salt. Stir until the sugar looks like wet sand and starts dissolving, 2 to 4 minutes. If it seems dry and grainy, add up to 2 tablespoons water to help it along.

Cook to amber. Keep cooking until the caramel turns a medium to deep amber, 5 to 8 minutes. Once it starts to color, stir gently and scrape the bottom as you go so you do not get hot spots or sugary bits clinging to the pan.

Turn the heat to low and stir in vanilla and cinnamon (if using). Careful, it will bubble up and sputter.

Pack in the apples. Remove the skillet from heat. Arrange apple halves cut-side up, tightly packed in concentric circles. They should be snug. Apples shrink as they cook, so pack them like you mean it.

Stovetop simmer. Return the skillet to medium heat and cook for 10 minutes, gently basting the apples with caramel using a spoon. The goal is to get things bubbling and glossy, not to stir the apples around.

Cut the pastry cap. On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry just enough to smooth seams, then cut an 11-inch round (slightly larger than your 10-inch skillet). Keep it cold. If it starts feeling soft or sticky, slide it onto a plate and refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes.

Add the pastry cap. Lay the 11-inch pastry round over the apples. Tuck the edges down around the apples like you are wrapping them in a blanket. Use a knife to cut a small steam vent in the center.

Bake. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the pastry is puffed and deep golden brown and you see caramel bubbling at the edges, 25 to 30 minutes.

Oven note: If your pastry is pale at 25 minutes, give it a few more. You want real color here.

Rest, then flip. Let the skillet rest on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge. Place a large plate or rimmed platter over the skillet.

Using oven mitts, hold both tightly and flip in one confident motion. Watch for hot caramel drips.

Fix the vibe if needed. If an apple sticks to the pan, just lift it out and place it back on top. No one will know unless you tell them, and you will not.

Serve. Let it cool another 5 minutes so the caramel is warm, not molten. Slice, spoon any caramel from the plate over the top, and serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.