Tarte Tatin

For pastry:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick cold butter
1/3 cup cold sour cream or yogurt

For filling:
3 pounds or so of apples, peeled, quartered, and cored
1/2 stick butter
3/4 cup sugar

Melt butter and sugar together in a cast-iron pan. Arrange apple quarters on their sides in the skillet, packing them tightly together, as many as will fit. Cook over medium heat, boiling syrup until thick and medium brown, about 45 minutes. Watch pan to prevent burning.

Meanwhile, prepare pastry by blending flour, sugar, and salt; then cut in butter until pea-sized crumbs form. Add sour cream or yogurt and blend. Roll out pastry into a circle about the same size as the pan.

When the apples and caramel are done, lay pastry circle over the apples in the skillet and press down around the edges. Place entire skillet in a preheated 375 degree oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until pastry is golden brown.

Allow to cool at least 5-10 minutes. Loosen edges of pastry by running a knife around the edges of the pan. Invert pan onto a plate and shake gently until the tart falls out. Allow to cool 30 more minutes and serve.

Frozen puff pastry is not acceptable!

Quick, Easy, Foolproof Cheesecake

8-10 graham crackers
1/2 stick butter

2 8-oz pkgs cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla
pinch salt
2 tbsp flour
2 eggs

For crust: Put graham crackers in a food processor and process until they form coarse crumbs. Melt the butter and add to the processor; process until the crumbs begin to stick together. Pat the crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie pan.

For filling: Blend cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt until the cream cheese is smooth. Add flour and beat until smooth. Add eggs and beat until well-combined. Pour filling into crust.

Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for about 45 minutes, or until edges are puffed and browning. Top with fruit.

This cheesecake seems relatively immune from overcooking. When I pulled it out of the oven and saw how brown and cracked the sides had gotten, I was sure it would be too dry, but it comes out as a pleasant, light custardy stuff. I have a detailed article in an old cooking magazine about how to make the perfect cheesecake and it discusses ingredient proportions and cooking time in great detail and depth. I couldn't find that article before cooking this cheesecake, but I'm fairly sure this recipe breaks all of those rules. It still comes out very nicely.