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1
For the pastry, sift flour into a medium bowl. Rub in butter until mixture is crumbly but you can still see small chunks of butter. Make a well in the center. Stir in enough ice-cold water (about 2/3 cup) to make firm dough. Knead dough on floured surface until smooth; shape into a rectangle. Wrap pastry in plastic; refrigerate 20 mins.
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2
Roll pastry on floured surface into a 16 x 8-inch rectangle, keeping the edges straight and even. Fold pastry into thirds (somewhat like folding a business letter). Turn the dough a quarter-turn clockwise, so the short edges are at the top and bottom; repeat rolling and folding once more. Wrap pastry in plastic; refrigerate 1 hour.
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3
Meanwhile, for the caramelized apple, preheat the oven to 400u00b0F. Grease 12-cup shallow round-bottomed patty pan. Peel, core and quarter apples. Slice thinly, without cutting all the way through the apple. Combine apples and lemon juice in a medium bowl.
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4
Stir sugar, butter and 1 tbsp water in a small skillet on high heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, without stirring, about 8 mins, shaking pan occasionally, until dark caramel in color.
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5
Allow bubbles to subside, then carefully spoon caramel into cups of prepared pan. Add 1 tbsp water to the hot skillet; reserve caramel liquid. Carefully position one apple quarter, trimmed to fit, rounded-side down, in each cup. Brush apples with reserved liquid. Cover pan with foil and place on a baking pan. Bake 10 mins. Remove foil.
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6
Meanwhile, roll pastry on floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 2 1/2-inch pastry cutter, cut out twelve rounds. Place rounds on top of apples in pan; tuck pastry down side of the cups.
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7
Bake tarts about 30 mins. Cool tarts in pan 20 mins. Invert onto a parchment paper-lined tray. Serve topped with whipped cream.
