Classic Tarte Tatin Recipe
Classic tarte tatin — or upside-down apple tart — may look like an intimidating baking project, but our foolproof recipe breaks the steps down so any home cook can make a special dessert to end a great meal. Take your time when making the caramel and browning the apples, keep in mind that well-browned food develops richer flavors!
This recipe is from the Sunday Supper repertoire.
Classic Tarte Tatin Recipe
Prep Time
40
minutes
Cook Time
45
minutes
Servings
6
Total time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 6 large apples (such as Granny Smith or Golden Delicious)
- 1 sheet store-bought puff pastry
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter
- juice of half a lemon
- 1 pinch sea salt
Directions
- Heat the oven to 375 F. Sprinkle the lemon juice evenly onto the apples to prevent them from discoloring.
- Place sugar in a cast-iron skillet and melt over medium heat.
- Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally until the sugar is a light butterscotch color and its temperature reaches 320 degrees (measure with a candy thermometer). Turn off the heat. The temperature will continue to rise.
- Once the temperature reaches 350 degrees, whisk in the butter, 1 piece at a time. Make sure each piece is incorporated before adding the next, then add the salt.
- Cover the caramel with the apple slices, starting in the center and overlapping in a spiraling. Turn the heat back on and cook for 15 minutes.
- Stir to make sure the apples are cooking evenly, but be sure to return the pieces to the original configuration.
- Cover the pan with the puff pastry. Tuck in the edges around the apples and prick the pastry with a fork.
- Bake until the edges are deep amber in color and the pastry is puffed and golden, 40 to 45 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a plate larger than the pan.