-
1
Preheat over to 450F.9
-
2
In a dry heavy saucepan (about 1-quart capacity) cook sugar over moderate heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt.
-
3
Continue cooking sugar, stirring with a fork until it is melted and then swirling pan, until it is a deep-golden caramel.
-
4
Pour caramel into four 6-ounce ramekins (3 1/4 to 3 1/2 inches in diameter).
-
5
Peel and cut 1 apple into 5 wedges and core wedges.
-
6
Put wedges back together to re-form apple shape and stand upright, stem end down, in a ramekin (wedges will protrude over rim).
-
7
Repeat procedure with remaining apples.
-
8
Cut butter into 4 pieces.
-
9
Put 1 gingersnap, broken into 4 pieces, in center of each re-formed apple and top with 1 piece of butter.
-
10
Arrange ramekins in a shallow baking pan and bake apples in middle of oven 45 minutes.
-
11
While apples are baking, halve puff-pastry sheet crosswise and then lengthwise to make 4 nearly square pieces and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap.
-
12
Remove baking sheet with ramekins from oven and drape a piece of puff pastry over each apple (edges of pastry will extend beyond rims).
-
13
Return pan to oven and reduce oven temperature to 350F.
-
14
Bake tarts 20 to 25 minutes, or until pastry is puffed and golden brown.
-
15
Remove tarts from oven.
-
16
Invert heatproof dessert plates over ramekins and invert tarts carefully onto them.
-
17
Serve tarts warm with whipped cream or ice cream.
