Method
- STEP 1
Roll the pastry to a 3mm-thick round on a lightly floured surface and cut a 24cm circle, using a plate as a guide. Lightly prick all over with a fork, place on a baking sheet, then cover and freeze while preparing the apples.
- STEP 2
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Peel, quarter and core the apples. Put the sugar in a flameproof 20cm ceramic tatin dish or a 20cm ovenproof heavy-based frying pan and place over a medium-high heat. Cook the sugar for 5-7 mins to a dark amber caramel syrup that’s starting to smoke, then turn off the heat and stir in the 60g diced chilled butter.
- STEP 3
To assemble the tarte tatin, arrange the apple quarters very tightly in a circle around the edge of the dish first, rounded-side down, then fill in the middle in a similar fashion. Gently press with your hands to ensure there are no gaps. Brush the fruit with the melted butter.
- STEP 4
Bake in the oven for 30 mins, then remove and place the disc of frozen puff pastry on top – it will quickly defrost. Tuck the edges down the inside of the dish and, with a knife, prick a few holes in the pastry to allow steam to escape. Bake for a further 40-45 mins until the pastry is golden brown and crisp.
- STEP 5
Allow to cool to room temperature for 1 hr before running a knife around the edge of the dish and inverting it onto a large serving plate that is deep enough to contain the juices. Serve with crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.
GET AHEAD
For best results, cook a day or two ahead and keep in its pan or dish in the fridge, then reheat in the oven for 20 mins at 150C/130C fan/gas 2 an hour before serving. Turn out to serve as above.
INGREDIENT SWAP
Other fruits such as mango, quince and pears can be used for this dish, but apples are my favourite.
Recipe from Good Food magazine, December 2015
FAQs
Named after the woman who invented it, the Tarte Tatin (tart tah-TAN) is a famous French "upside-down" caramelized apple tart or Tarte aux pommes (caramélisé). Basically, the apples are underneath the dough – topsy-turvy indeed.
What is tarte tatin made of? ›
What is Tarte Tatin? Tarte Tatin is a French dessert for which apples are caramelized in a skillet with butter and sugar, then topped with a round of pastry dough and baked.
What is the difference between a tarte tatin and a galette? ›
Whereas pies and tarts are baked in a mould or dish, galettes are freeform; laid on a flat sheet, its edges are turned up and folded inward by hand, producing a rustic appeal and a distinct shape—while tarts and pies have crusts that are wither straight or widen at the mouth, the mouths of galettes are smaller than its ...
Does a tarte tatin need to be served immediately? ›
For best results, cook a day or two ahead and keep in its pan or dish in the fridge, then reheat in the oven for 20 mins at 150C/130C fan/gas 2 an hour before serving. Turn out to serve as above.
What French dish was said to have been created in an accident when the chef left apples cooking for too long? ›
This French dessert is an upside-down caramelized apple tart that legend has it was created by accident.
What does tarte tatin mean in French? ›
The tarte Tatin (French pronunciation: [taʁt tatɛ̃]), named after the Tatin sisters who invented it and served it in their hotel as its signature dish, is a pastry in which the fruit (usually apples) is caramelized in butter and sugar before the tart is baked.
What can you use instead of a tarte tatin pan? ›
Choose a pan: a copper tarte tatin mold will be perfect (here's a link to a good one), but you can also use an iron skillet (as long as it doesn't smell like salmon or something) or even a heavy stainless steel (like All-Clad) or non-stick sauté pan.
What is the best pan for tatin? ›
This French upside-down apple pie, tarte tatin, is baked in a skillet—not a pie pan—with the bottom crust on top. The key to a successful tarte lies in the type of skillet you use. Cast iron, enameled cast iron, or a special tarte tatin mold, available at many kitchenware shops, are best.
How to avoid soggy tarte tatin? ›
Also, since everything except the pastry is cooked, try baking the pastry conventionally (in the oven) then grill it for a few minutes to increase the heat on the pastry directly to avoid it becoming soggy.
Why is my tarte tatin bitter? ›
Put the sugar for the caramel into the tatin pan on the hob over medium heat. Allow it to caramelise to a golden amber. Don't stir and don't let it go too dark, or the caramel will be bitter.
If you find your apple tarte tatin is too liquid, it means that either your fruit were old (pectin breaks down as fruit age) OR the apple layer didn't come to a full boil.
What makes tarte different? ›
Ingredients. Maureen Kelly has stated that she wanted makeup that uses natural ingredients, including Amazonian clay, goji berry extract, passionfruit and vitamins A, C, and E. Tarte Cosmetics does not use parabens, mineral oil, synthetic fragrances or gluten in their products.
What is the Tarte cosmetics controversy? ›
The brand, which has been sending influencers on paid trips since 2013, got backlash in January 2023, after a trip to Dubai was criticized for being attended by primarily white, rich influencers.
What is tarte best known for? ›
What makes Tarte products special is that each features a natural ingredient like Amazonian clay or goji berry extract. All products are also cruelty-free. The formulas are high-quality, easy to use and versatile—working for a daily makeup routine and the occasional night glam.
What is the difference between apple pie and tarte tatin? ›
Perhaps we can define what an apple tart is by what it isn't. It isn't particularly sweet. American apple pie has much more sugar—and often flour or another starch in the filling. A tarte tatin (apples caramelized on a puff pastry bottom, one of the most famous French desserts) has even more sugar.
