Tarte Tatin
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Total time: ~1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 6-8
Country of Origin
France (Lamotte-Beuvron)
Description
An upside-down caramelized apple tart created accidentally by the Tatin sisters in their hotel kitchen. Apples are slowly bathed and cooked in a rich butter-and-sugar caramel before being covered with a pastry crust and baked.
Presentation & How It's Eaten
Flipped upside-down onto a serving plate while still warm, revealing a gleaming crown of deeply caramelized, tender apples. Best served with a dollop of crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
6-8 large baking apples (like Honeycrisp, Gala, or Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and quartered
100g unsalted butter
150g granulated sugar
1 sheet of puff pastry (rolled into a circle slightly larger than your pan)
Step-by-Step Directions
Create Caramel: Melt the butter in a 9-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the butter and let it cook without stirring until it turns a rich amber caramel color.
Arrange Apples: Remove the pan from heat. Arrange the apple quarters tightly in concentric circles on top of the caramel. They will shrink during cooking, so pack them tightly.
Cook Apples: Return the skillet to medium-low heat and cook for 15–20 minutes until the apples begin to soften and release their juices into the caramel. Remove from heat.
Top with Pastry: Lay the puff pastry round over the hot apples. Tuck the overhanging edges of the pastry down inside the rim of the pan. Cut 2–3 small slits in the center to let steam escape.
Bake: Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 25–30 minutes until the pastry is puffed and deeply golden.
Flip: Let cool for 5 minutes. Place a large rimmed serving plate upside-down over the skillet, and carefully but quickly invert the skillet to release the tart onto the plate.
Optional
Spice: Add a pinch of ground cinnamon to the sugar for a warm, spiced undertone.
Cooking Tips
Firm Fruit: Use firm, crisp apples that hold their shape well when cooked. Soft apples will turn into applesauce under the heat.
Nutrition Facts
(Estimated per serving)
Calories: ~380 kcal
Total Fat: 20g
Saturated Fat: 11g
Cholesterol: 40mg
Sodium: ~150mg
Total Carbohydrates: 48g
Dietary Fiber: 3g
Sugars: 32g
Protein: 3g
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