Rhubarb and apple tarte Tatin with Calvados ice-cream

1.For Calvados ice-cream, bring cream, vanilla bean and seeds to just below the boil in a saucepan over medium heat, remove from heat and set aside to infuse (30 minutes). Return to heat and bring to just below the boil. Meanwhile, whisk yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl until pale (1-2 minutes), then, whisking continuously, add hot cream mixture in a thin steady stream until incorporated. Transfer to a clean saucepan and stir continuously over low heat until mixture coats a wooden spoon thickly (5-7 minutes). Transfer to a bowl, stir occasionally until cool, then refrigerate until cold. Remove vanilla bean, stir in Calvados, then freeze in an ice-cream machine. Transfer to a container and freeze until required. Makes 750ml.

2.For caramel, stir sugar and 50ml water in a small saucepan over medium heat to dissolve sugar, bring to the boil and cook until dark caramel (5-6 minutes). Add butter (be careful as hot caramel will spit), stir to combine, then pour onto an oiled baking tray. Set aside to cool, break into coarse pieces and process in a food processor to fine crumbs. Set aside.

3.Stir sugar, ginger, cinnamon and 400ml water in a saucepan over medium heat to dissolve sugar, then simmer until reduced by one-third (8-10 minutes). Remove from heat, cool slightly, then add apple and rhubarb and set aside to cool.

4.Preheat oven to 190C. Divide caramel among eight buttered 12cm-diameter round shallow baking dishes. Drain rhubarb and apple (discard liquid), then arrange over caramel. Cut 13cm-diameter rounds from pastry and place over fruit, tucking in edges, then place dishes on an oven tray and bake until pastry is golden, puffed and cooked through (10-12 minutes). Cool slightly (1-2 minutes), then carefully invert onto serving plates and serve hot with Calvados ice-cream.