Sheet pan tarte tatin

Put the sugar in a saucepan and drizzle half a cup of water around the sides. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then stop stirring and bring to a boil over high heat.

Brush the pan sides down with a wet pastry brush to dissolve stray sugar crystals. Swirl, do not stir, until the caramel is amber and fluid; drop the heat to medium.

Off the heat, whisk in the butter all at once and the salt until smooth and no longer bubbling.

Pour the caramel into the jelly roll pan and tilt to spread; full coverage is not needed. Set aside to harden.

Heat the oven to 300.

Peel all the apples, halve them, notch out the stem and blossom ends with a knife, and scoop the cores with a melon baller.

Lay the halves on the caramel rounded side down, scooped side up, fitted tightly.

Mix the apple cider vinegar, vanilla paste and a quarter cup of water and pour it over the caramel between the apples.

Cover tightly with heavy duty foil and bake at 300 on the centre rack for 1 hour 15 to 1 hour 30, until the flesh is semi-translucent and a tester meets slight resistance.

Raise the oven to 400.

Lift the apple halves out with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Return the uncovered pan of caramel and apple juices to the top rack for 10 minutes, then stir every couple of minutes until dark and thick.

Slice the cooled apple halves crosswise into quarter inch slices, keeping each half's slices together.

Cool the reduced caramel until hard.

Shingle the apple slices tightly over the caramel, alternating direction, leaving a pinky finger's gap at all four sides.

Roll the puff pastry on a well floured surface to about 16 by 11 inches, prick it all over with a fork, roll it onto the pin and unroll it over the apples.

Tuck the edges down into the lip of the pan and cut a few slits around the edge for steam.

Bake at 400 on the centre rack for 50 to 60 minutes, until the caramel is dark and bubbling at the sides; tent with foil at about 50 minutes if the pastry browns too far.

Cool about 15 minutes until the juices set, then invert onto a rack. Serve warm with whipped cream.

Variation: for a glossier finish brush with a thin layer of strained melted apricot. Not done here.

Make-ahead: stop after the apples are arranged over the chilled reduced caramel, cover with foil and refrigerate up to 24 hours before adding the pastry and baking.