When it comes to upside-down desserts, a soft and buttery vanilla cake topped with caramelized pineapple and a bright-red maraschino cherry often comes to mind.

Pineapple upside-down cake has been a favorite way to end a meal or celebrate a special occasion for nearly 100 years, thanks in large part to the Hawaiian Pineapple Co. (now Dole), which held a contest in 1926 seeking the best pineapple recipe in America.

Out of 60,000 submissions, more than 2,000 dished up some version of the self-decorating cake, with Mrs. Robert Davis of Norfolk, Virginia, taking the title.

Yet any fruit can deliver the same magic — with less mess and in a speedier fashion — if you trade the cake for light and fluffy puff pastry.

This seasonal treat comes together in about 20 minutes and requires just three ingredients: thinly sliced apple, honey and a box of puff pastry.

It's almost too easy, especially when you consider the elegant results. All you have to do is peel and slice a couple of apples, roll the dough into a giant rectangle and cut it into six equal pieces, drizzled with honey.

Frozen puff pastry takes a long time to thaw on the counter, but if you're an impatient cook (guilty!) you can place the pastry sheet in the microwave between two paper towels, zap it for about 15 seconds, flip it and zap it again. If it still needs more thawing, repeat at 10-second intervals until the sheet is soft enough to unfold.

I used Granny Smith apples and some local honey I picked up (along with a couple of bags of fresh cranberries) at a roadside stand in West Yarmouth, Massachusetts, on a trip to Cape Cod.

Sadly, I didn't have any vanilla ice cream or whipped cream to spoon on top; the tarts also would be great with a drizzle of caramel or powdered sugar. Leftovers make a great breakfast.

Upside-Down Apple Tart

PG tested

2 tart apples such as Granny Smith, Gala or Braeburn

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

6 tablespoons honey

1 lemon, zested and juiced

Cinnamon, for dusting

1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Peel apples, halve and cut out the core. Cut into very thin slices and set aside while you prepare pastry.

Roll puff pastry dough into a 15-by-12-inch rectangle, then cut into 6 equal rectangles.

Drizzle 1/2 tablespoon honey in six spots on top of the parchment paper, then spread each out into a line using the back of a spoon or an offset spatula.

Arrange apple slices on top of the honey in a straight line, overlapping as you go, then drizzle another 1/2 tablespoon of honey on top of the fruit.

Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon on top and add a little lemon zest and a splash of lemon juice. Cover apples with puff pastry rectangle, then crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Repeat with remaining puff pastry rectangles.

Brush tarts with beaten egg, then place in hot oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.

Allow tarts to cool for 5 minutes on the baking pan, then flip over onto a serving platter. (You may have to carefully peel off the parchment paper.)

Serve warm, or at room temperature.

Makes 6 tarts.

— Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

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