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Classic French Tarte Tatin Recipe (French apple tart)

The Tarte Tatin is a classic French dessert typically made with caramelized apples. What’s special about this famous French pastry is the caramelization process of the apples before adding the dough. This was allegedly borne of a baking accident in the kitchen of the Hôtel Tatin run by the Tatin sisters, Stéphanie and Caroline, in Lamotte-Beuvron, France in the late 19th century. Caroline Tatin was the hostess and Stéphanie Tatin ran the kitchen. Legend has it she forgot to add the pastry dough before the baking process to create her specialty apple pie. In a panic, she added what was meant to be the pastry base on top of the apples afterwards, which is what created the now famous upside-down, caramelized French pastry. It was apparently a huge success with hotel guests. A French classic was born.
This French-style apple tart uses simple ingredients, and is served topped with fresh cream or crème fraîche. 
Print Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Servings 6 people

Equipment

  • 1 cast-iron skillet or Tatin mold
  • 1 Rolling Pin

Ingredients
  

Pastry

  • 250 g of flour
  • 125 g of butter
  • 5 g of salt
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 50 ml of water

Filling

  • 6 to 8 apples such as granny smith apples or golden delicious apples
  • 100 g of butter
  • 80 g of sugar

Whipped Cream

  • 150 g 35% cream, chilled
  • 20 g of icing sugar

Instructions
 

Pastry

  • Cut out the flour, butter and salt with a pastry cutter. Make a well, pour in the egg yolk and water. Knead the dough briefly and form a smooth ball. Leave to cool in the refrigerator.

Apple Filling

  • Peel the apples. With a sharp knife, cut them into quarters and remove the seeds.
  • In the sauté pan or Tatin mold, put half the sugar and start the caramel over medium heat.
  • As soon as the first colors appear, add the rest of the sugar, mixing gently with a wooden spoon.
  • Being careful not to burn yourself on the hot caramel sauce, arrange the apple quarters in the sugar mixture in the shape of a rose.
  • Add the pieces of butter, regularly spaced, between the apple slices. Leave to stew gently for a few minutes and then set aside to cool.

ASSEMBLY OF THE TATIN

  • Spread the dough to a thickness of two millimeters, cut into a circle slightly larger than the mold. Place the dough on the cooled apples.
  • Bake in an oven at 180°C for around 25 minutes, until you obtain a colored pastry. Let the tart cool.

DEMOLDING AND SERVICE

  • Heat for a few moments over low heat then un-mold onto a round serving plate. Serve with créme chantilly (whipped cream), crème fraîche or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
    To make the crème chantilly, combine the chilled cream and icing sugar in a large bowl. Whisk until medium peaks (semi-sturdy, maintaining its shape but with a slight droop) are formed. Be careful not to over whisk.

Notes

Allergens: lactose, egg, gluten