Apple wedges, caramelised in butter and sugar, covered with puff pastry and baked upside down so that the caramel runs over the apples in a glossy layer as soon as you turn the tart out. An accident that went down in history as one of the most famous French tarts.
Tarte tatin
Region: Sologne
Tarte tatin
Region: Sologne
Method
01
Prepare the apples
Toss the apple quarters with the lemon juice so they don't discolour.
02
Make the caramel
Melt the butter in an ovenproof frying pan (approx. 24 cm, with a handle that can go in the oven) over a medium heat. Add the sugar and, without stirring, let it melt to an amber caramel.
03
Arrange the apples
Take the pan off the heat. Arrange the apple quarters close together, upright or on their sides, in the caramel; pack the pan tightly because the apples shrink during baking.
04
Pre-cook
Put the pan back over a medium heat and let the apples cook gently in the caramel for 10–15 minutes, until they just begin to soften.
05
Cover
Preheat the oven to 190 °C. Lay the puff pastry over the apples and tuck the edges in around the apples like a blanket. Prick a few holes in the pastry.
06
Bake
Bake for 35–40 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and cooked.
07
Turn out
Leave the tart to rest for 5 minutes. Place a large plate on the pan and turn out in one confident movement; beware of the hot caramel.
08
Serve
Serve lukewarm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of crème fraîche if you like.
Tips & notes
Only turn the tart out after 5 minutes' rest, not earlier (the caramel is then still too runny and too hot) and not much later (it will stick in the pan). Use firm apples that hold their shape during baking; soft apple varieties fall apart into mush. Best served lukewarm on the day; keep leftovers covered in the fridge for a maximum of 2 days and warm them briefly in the oven.
Variations
- Replace the apples with pears for a tarte tatin aux poires.
- Add a cinnamon stick or star anise to the caramel for extra spiciness.
Contains:
Gluten
Milk
Serve with
| Calories | 210 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 26 g |
| Fat | 12 g |
| Fibre | 1 g |
Estimated values, calculated from standard nutritional values per ingredient.
