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Tarte tatin
Upside-down caramelised apple tart from the Sologne
Tarte tatin is said to have been created at the Hôtel Tatin in Lamotte-Beuvron, in the Sologne, south of Orléans, where the Tatin sisters cooked for hunting parties in the 1880s. The apples are cooked in butter and sugar until they turn amber, covered with pastry, baked, then turned out so the glossy caramelised fruit sits on top of a crisp base. It is the French family dessert of autumn and winter, served warm with crème fraîche. This version uses an all-butter shortcrust made without egg. Chef's tip: pack in more apples than seem possible, as they shrink; using too few is the common mistake and leaves a flat tart with gaps.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the pastry
For the apples
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Rub 3 ½ oz cold butter into 6 oz plain flour and 1 tbsp caster sugar until it looks like coarse crumbs. Add 3 tbsp ice-cold water and press together into a disc. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 2: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Scatter 5 ½ oz caster sugar evenly over the base of a 24 cm ovenproof frying pan. Heat over a medium heat without stirring, swirling the pan, for 5–7 minutes, until it melts into a deep amber caramel that smells like toffee.
6 minStep 3: Take off the heat and stir in 2 ⅛ oz butter and 1 pinch salt; it will bubble up. Pack in 2 ⅝ lb firm apples (such as Braeburn or Reinette) cut-side up in tight circles, standing them on their sides.
Step 4: Return to a medium heat and cook for 10–12 minutes, until the apple juices bubble and the caramel darkens again. Baste the apples with the caramel.
12 minStep 5: Roll the pastry into a circle 2 cm wider than the pan. Lay it over the apples and tuck the edge down inside the pan. Cut two small steam holes.
Step 6: Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and the caramel bubbles up at the edges.
28 minStep 7: Rest for 5 minutes. Put a plate over the pan and, wearing oven gloves, turn it over quickly in one movement. Lift off the pan and push back any apples that stuck. Serve warm with 7 oz crème fraîche.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 370 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tarte tatin take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of cold butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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