Recipe

Prepare Carrots

1. Heat oven to 400 F. Line 9″-diam. circle cake pan with parchment paper, cutting to fit.
2. Quarter carrots lengthwise. (If carrots are very thin, ½” or less across at the top, half lengthwise.)
3. In large sauté pan, heat butter and honey over medium-high, until butter is melted and mixture is bubbly. Add carrots, salt, pepper and thyme, and toss to coat. Reduce heat to medium and cook covered, stirring occasionally, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until carrots are fork-tender. (Reduce heat if carrots begin to brown.)
4. Uncover and increase heat, allowing most of liquid to cook off. Add vinegar and cook for about 2 more minutes, carefully turning carrots in sauce, until only small syrupy puddle remains. Pour carrots and sauce into prepared cake pan and spread evenly.

Assemble Tart

1. Scatter goat cheese slices, if using, over carrots in pan. On floured counter, roll puff pastry into 10″-diam. circle and place over pan, tucking in edges of dough. Cut vent in centre of tart and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until pastry is deep golden brown. (I find a deep colour essential for puff pastry that won’t fully flatten once flipped.)
2. Remove tart from oven and let rest, about 10 minutes. Run knife around edges of pan and flip onto plate. Carefully remove parchment paper and scrape any juices in pan over tart. Nudge any wayward carrots back into place and garnish with additional thyme leaves and flaky salt. Use serrated knife to cut into wedges and serve.

Note on puff pastry: Most puff pastry comes in either 12 oz. or 14 oz. single sheets. If you get a larger 17⅓ oz. package with two sheets, you only need one here. Look for an all-butter puff pastry; you’ll taste the difference.