Friends came over for dinner the other night and I decided to make a pudding.

My confidence had been building as I managed to make a passable lemon tart the other day thanks to Gordon Ramsay and his 'Sunday Lunch' book.

I thought that for a change I would dip into James Martin's book called 'Desserts'. The picture on the front was of James happily turning out a Tarte Tatin.

I, like most of the population, have spent the last few years being coaxed into a false sense of security with the relentless bombardment of cookery programs and spin off books. Another souffle appears on 'Saturday Kitchen', and I don't even blink an eye. I have subconsciously prepared, cooked and eaten it in an instant, despite never having actually done so. Comfort cooking from your armchair. In my fantasy professional chef alter ego I even become a critic, offering my thoughts on food displayed by the odourless 37 inches of transistors that make up my rather vulgar flat panel TV.

All cooks (including friends) passing on recipes continuously say -

'Oh it's so easy'

Don't let this frivolity fool you. Be on your guard. Modesty belies the blood sweat and tears required even in the simplest process, especially when it comes to pastry.

I am not denying that it's great being exposed to good cuisine and technique on the box, it's just that there is often a major disconnect between seeing and doing. Cookery only to entertain, massaging your brain through the post work early evening humdrum whilst you devour your salt overloaded ready meal.

So my obvious naive choice was the Tarte Tatin.

I lovingly picked the last of the apples from the garden along with some fresh thyme. I also sourced a block of pre-prepared puff pastry from the depths of the chest freezer in the local shop (I did not dare look at the use by date). All that remained was to make the caramel....

I cannot tell you how difficult I found it to create the perfect golden brown caramel from simply heating up caster sugar. I quickly ruined the first batch (and rendered the pan useless). I then made the same mistake with the second attempt. I now had two pans neutered with a rapidly solidifying magma.

Much like Pompeii, the wooden spoons remained erect in the hardening rock, frozen in caramelised time in their last act of stirring. Quickly into the sink...the pans were now listless boats without a sail, slowly sinking beneath the depths of the washing up bowl.

The recipe looked good, but did not seem as well explained as Gordon Ramsay's offerings. The text should have contained the warning 'danger to pan health'. The tone of the picture of James Martin now changed to smugness

'Only I, yes I have the skills to perform this Tarte Tatin miracle'

The worst part of it all was my premature reveal of the nature of the pudding to my friends. My spirit (and pans) broken, I threw in the dish cloth and improvised some dodgy puff pastry, apple and muscarpone tartlets.

At least the lemon chicken and olive main course was a success.

As for the wine, my friends bought a Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc 2009 and I provided a George Duboeuf Chiroubles 2007. I will try and mention these in my tasting notes.

Any caramel tips most welcome.

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