Tarte Tatin (French Upside-Down Caramel Apple Tart)
In short: Apples cooked in butter and caramel under a crisp pastry lid, then turned upside down to show a glossy, deeply golden top. It takes about 1 h 35 min in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 1 h 5 min
- Total
- 1 h 35 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 320 kcal
Tarte tatin is the apple tart baked upside down: apples cook in butter and caramel in a skillet, a sheet of pastry is laid over the top, and the whole thing is flipped onto a plate after baking. The apples turn soft and deeply caramelized, the pastry stays crisp and the caramel makes its own sauce. Use firm apples that hold their shape, and serve warm with crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Toss the apple quarters with the lemon juice.
- Spread the sugar evenly in a 24 cm (9.5 in) ovenproof skillet and cook over medium heat, without stirring, for 6 to 8 minutes, swirling the pan, until it melts into an amber caramel.
- Take the pan off the heat and add the butter and salt, stirring until the butter melts. Be careful, as the caramel will bubble up.
- Arrange the apple quarters tightly in the caramel, rounded side down, in a circle, filling the center. They shrink as they cook.
- Return the pan to medium heat and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the apples soften and the juices thicken into a syrup.
- Cut a circle from the pastry about 2 cm (3/4 in) wider than the pan. Lay it over the apples and tuck the edges down between the apples and the pan. Pierce the top 3 or 4 times with a knife.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the pastry is puffed and deep golden. Rest for 10 minutes so the caramel thickens slightly.
- Run a knife around the edge, set a large plate over the pan and flip it in one confident move, wearing oven gloves. Replace any stray apples and serve warm.
Tips
- Choose apples that keep their shape when cooked, such as Granny Smith, Braeburn or Golden Delicious. Soft varieties turn to mush.
- Pears also work well. Peel and halve them, and cook them a few minutes longer on the stove before covering with pastry.
Questions and answers
Why is my tarte tatin watery?
The apples probably released too much juice. Cook them on the stove until the juices become a thick syrup before adding the pastry, and let the tart rest before flipping.
Can I make tarte tatin ahead of time?
Bake it up to 6 hours ahead and leave it in the pan. Warm it gently on the stove for 2 minutes to loosen the caramel, then flip and serve.
What do you serve with tarte tatin?
Crème fraîche, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Each one offsets the sweet caramel with a little sourness or cold.
How long does it take to make Tarte Tatin (French Upside-Down Caramel Apple Tart)?
About 1 h 35 min in total: 30 min of preparation and 1 h 5 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Tarte Tatin (French Upside-Down Caramel Apple Tart)?
About 320 kcal per serving, with 3 g of protein, 47 g of carbohydrates and 14 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 320 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 47 g |
| Fat | 14 g |
| Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 30 g |
| Sodium | 150 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
