Apple tarte tatin with rum-soaked raisins

• 10cm tart cases 6

For the rum-soaked raisins

• Water 75ml
• Caster sugar 120g
• Spiced rum 75ml
• Golden raisins 100g (mixed dried fruit also works well)

For the apple tarte tatin

• Caster sugar 100g
• Salted butter 30g
• Cox apples 3, peeled, cored and halved
• Puff pastry 250g (good quality pre-made is fine), rolled to 2mm thickness

To serve

• Vanilla ice cream

1. For the raisins: combine the water and sugar in a heavy-based saucepan, then gradually bring to the boil. Add the rum and raisins then take the saucepan off the heat. Leave aside to allow the raisins to steep and slowly cool for a minimum of 2 hours.
2. For the apple tarte tatin: preheat the oven to 180˚c / gas 4. Put the sugar in a separate heavy-based saucepan and gently heat it until it turns to caramel (it will be a golden-brown colour when ready). Take the saucepan off the heat and whisk in the butter.
3. Divide the mixture equally between the tart cases, then place one apple half in each case on top of the caramel. Cut out six 12cm diameter discs from the puff pastry.
4. Lightly dock (prick) the pastry with a fork and then carefully place the pastry over the apples in the tart cases. Bake for 20 minutes.
5. To serve: turn the tartes out onto plates. Decorate by sprinkling a generous amount of the raisins around the tatin, then top with a scoop of good quality vanilla ice cream.